Cancer Caregivers of Older Adults
Conditions
Keywords
cancer, caregiver, caregiving, care give, elderly, older adults, unmet needs, post-discharge, cancer symptoms
Brief summary
The goals of the study are to investigate the needs of older (age 60+) caregivers caring for adults with cancer at 1-week and 2 weeks following hospital discharge and to explore strategies that may assist caregivers in their home caregiving needs. This study will explore how these needs vary based on caregiver spirituality and relationship with the care recipient. The study will enroll cancer patients and their caregivers admitted to 9100 and 9300, which are the hematological and non-hematological malignancy units at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) respectively. Results of this study will lay the groundwork for creating tailored interventions for caregivers that are compatible to their preferences and more responsive to their needs.
Detailed description
Baseline demographic data about the caregiver and patient will be collected at patient beside prior to hospital discharge. Qualitative interviews will be conducted with the cancer caregivers in their home at 1-week after their loved one was discharged from the hospital, and at 2-weeks after discharge from the hospital. This study utilizes a qualitative descriptive design.
Interventions
None listed
Sponsors
The Reed Foundation, Ruth Landes Memorial Research Fund
Duke University
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Caregiver must speak English * Caregiver must be at least 60 years of age * Patients must be 18 years of age or older & speak English * Patients must have been admitted to either the 9100 or 9300 oncology unit for treatment of cancer, or treatment-related/cancer-related complications * Patients must be discharged home to participate in the study
Exclusion criteria
* Dyads who received hospice referral prior to the care recipient's discharge * Patient must not have any diagnosis of dementia in their medical records, or any cognitive impairment as assessed by hospital providers (physicians and nurses)
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Unmet cancer caregiver needs | 1 week after patient discharge from hospital | Explore the needs (e.g., psychosocial) of older adults caring for a loved one with cancer at home during the first and second weeks after hospital discharge, and determine how these needs vary by spirituality and relationship to the care recipient. |
| Caregiver strategies assisting in caregiving role | 1 week after patient discharge from hospital | Identify the strategies used by older caregivers during the first and second weeks after hospital discharge, and determine how these strategies vary by spirituality and relationship to the care recipient. |
| Caregiver decision making in seeking assistance for cancer patient | 1 week after patient discharge from hospital | Describe the preferences of support and assistance (e.g., family/friends) of older caregivers in caring for a loved one with cancer at home during the first and second weeks after hospital discharge, and determine how these preferences vary by spirituality and relationship to the care recipient. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Caregiver needs and preferences vary with time | 2 weeks after patient discharge from the hospital | Explore whether caregiver needs and preferences vary with time (1 week versus 2 weeks post hospital discharge). |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed