FCRP Policy Statement

Cancer patients today often live more than five years after initial diagnosis, although not without debilitating effects from the disease and treatment, recurrence and remission. Family members support cancer patients throughout the disease trajectory: from suspicion of the disease through diagnosis, treatment, cure, remission, palliation, or death. To examine the impact of caregiving on the families of patients with cancer, researchers at the College of Nursing and Department of Family Practice at Michigan State University followed 123 cancer patients and their caregivers for one year.

FINDINGS: Significant amounts of "wear and tear" occur among caregivers of patients with cancer during a 12-month period as is reported in the following:

• Beliefs that families and friends have abandoned them
• Distress from trying to manage and control patients' symptoms of the disease and treatment
• A decline in family caregivers' own physical health
• A decline in emotional (and task) support from friends
• Management of patients' symptoms is problematic to the caregiver
• Caregivers are uncertain what lies ahead and are hesitant to seek help from family members, friends, or formal services

POLICY IMPLICATIONS:

• Initiate classes and programs that offer assistance to patients and families.
• Disseminate information regarding formal and informal community assistance and support programs to help with care.
• Institute policies and legislation that provide programs for emotional and financial assistance to families and cancer patients.
• Establish community support programs that offer affordable caregiver support
• Establish community respite programs for family members.

Caregivers need many types of assistance and support to maintain their own mental and physical health as well as to make home care for cancer patients a viable option and a more manageable experience. Formal and informal assistance to families and patients can make coping with cancer a more endurable experience for patients and caregivers.

Families have picked up much of the responsibility of cancer care as patients are discharged sicker and sooner than ever before. Thus, for families to endure, they need support from health care professionals and the health care system.

This research supported by grant #PBR-32A, Family Homecare for Cancer Patients and by grant #RO1 NR01915, Family Homecare for Cancer - A Community-Based Model. Correspondence should be addressed to Dr. Charles W. Given, Department of Family Practice, B108 Clinical Center, or Dr. Barbara A, Given, College of Nursing, A230 Life Sciences Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-1213.