Overview
Family members receive little preparation or support from health care professionals to enable them to undertake this informal care giving role or to adapt to the changes in lifestyle and family relationships that may arise. Unfortunately, whilst researchers have explored patients’ experiences and needs whilst undergoing chemotherapy, they have tended to neglect those of family members. Consequently, health professionals have little evidence on which to draw to develop chemotherapy services to respond to the needs of carers. Not surprisingly supporting family caregivers was a top priority identified in the Macmillan Listening study.
Chemotherapy is generally administered to patients in day care. Consequently, treatment side effects arise once patients return home. Family members provide considerable emotional support to patients undergoing chemotherapy and frequently help to monitor and manage treatment side effects. Family members receive little preparation or support from health care professionals to enable them to undertake this informal care giving role or to adapt to the changes in lifestyle and family relationships that may arise. Unfortunately, whilst researchers have explored patients’ experiences and needs whilst undergoing chemotherapy, they have tended to neglect those of family members. Consequently, health professionals have little evidence on which to draw to develop chemotherapy services to respond to the needs of carers.
There is a growing recognition that family carers have unmet needs that impact on their experience of supporting, and ability to support, a family member through chemotherapy. As more treatment is delivered within day care it is imperative this gap in current knowledge is addressed. Not surprisingly supporting family caregivers was a top priority identified in the Macmillan Listening study.
The proposed research aims to:
Project team
Professor Alison Richardson, Rebecca Foster
External
Professor Emma Ream
, King’s College London, Mrs Ginny Fuller, Mrs Gwen Harlow, Dr Theresa Wiseman and Ms Catherine Oakley
Project funder
Macmillan Cancer Support