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The experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients following hospital discharge.

Publication ,  Journal Article
Schwartz, AJ; Riedel, RF; LeBlanc, TW; Desai, D; Jenkins, C; Mahoney, E; Humphreys, J; Hendrix, CC
Published in: Support Care Cancer
February 2019

PURPOSE: This study addressed the experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients in the 2 weeks following a hospital discharge. It sought to understand the challenges they face in providing supportive care to patients at home. METHODS: Qualitative descriptive interviews with a narrative approach were conducted with each caregiver at 1 and 2 weeks following the patient's discharge from the hospital. A thematic analysis approach was used to identify the themes that emerged from the caregiver interviews. RESULTS: Caregivers were primarily Caucasian (77%), were mostly 68 years of age or older (62%), and were primarily caring for a spouse (69%). Three key themes emerged from the qualitative analysis: caregiver and patient wellness are connected, caregivers' struggle with control issues, and challenges in communication with health professionals. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight psychosocial changes that caregivers experience over the 2-week time period following hospital discharge. Implications include the need to identify interventions to better prepare caregivers for the post-discharge period.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Support Care Cancer

DOI

EISSN

1433-7339

Publication Date

February 2019

Volume

27

Issue

2

Start / End Page

609 / 616

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Qualitative Research
  • Patient Discharge
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Caregivers
  • Aged
  • 52 Psychology
 

Citation

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Schwartz, A. J., Riedel, R. F., LeBlanc, T. W., Desai, D., Jenkins, C., Mahoney, E., … Hendrix, C. C. (2019). The experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients following hospital discharge. Support Care Cancer, 27(2), 609–616. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-018-4355-2
Schwartz, Abby J., Richard F. Riedel, Thomas W. LeBlanc, Devi Desai, Carol Jenkins, Ellen Mahoney, Janice Humphreys, and Cristina C. Hendrix. “The experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients following hospital discharge.Support Care Cancer 27, no. 2 (February 2019): 609–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00520-018-4355-2.
Schwartz AJ, Riedel RF, LeBlanc TW, Desai D, Jenkins C, Mahoney E, et al. The experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients following hospital discharge. Support Care Cancer. 2019 Feb;27(2):609–16.
Schwartz, Abby J., et al. “The experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients following hospital discharge.Support Care Cancer, vol. 27, no. 2, Feb. 2019, pp. 609–16. Pubmed, doi:10.1007/s00520-018-4355-2.
Schwartz AJ, Riedel RF, LeBlanc TW, Desai D, Jenkins C, Mahoney E, Humphreys J, Hendrix CC. The experiences of older caregivers of cancer patients following hospital discharge. Support Care Cancer. 2019 Feb;27(2):609–616.
Journal cover image

Published In

Support Care Cancer

DOI

EISSN

1433-7339

Publication Date

February 2019

Volume

27

Issue

2

Start / End Page

609 / 616

Location

Germany

Related Subject Headings

  • Qualitative Research
  • Patient Discharge
  • Oncology & Carcinogenesis
  • Neoplasms
  • Middle Aged
  • Male
  • Humans
  • Caregivers
  • Aged
  • 52 Psychology