LEC 8: The Important Role of Family in End-of-Life Care Flashcards Preview

NURS 304 > LEC 8: The Important Role of Family in End-of-Life Care > Flashcards

Flashcards in LEC 8: The Important Role of Family in End-of-Life Care Deck (10)
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1
Q

Palliative Care

A
  • The specialized treatment of people with incurable illnesses.
  • Offers support system to help the family cope during the patients illness and in their own bereavement.
2
Q

Hospice Philosophy

A
  • Physical/Emotional/Spiritual care
  • Family support can help meet these needs It is total care- understanding patients/families
  • Prairie Hospice- hospice without walls
  • Sanctum- HIV specific
  • Hospice When curing is no longer possible caring still is
3
Q

Defining the Family

A
  • The palliative approach generally refers to the family as a unit of care
  • The Canadian Palliative Care Association defines family as “those closest to the patient in knowledge, care, and affection.
  • From clinical perspective, the most practical approach is to permit patients and their family members to self-define.
4
Q

Family as a System

A
  • Cultural values, religious practices, and family dynamics all play a role in the EOL experience.
  • Understanding the family dynamics gives us greater insight into the family relationship, communication patterns, rules, and norms.
    • Families bring with them diverse histories and different approaches to coping.
    • Families of palliative care patients sometimes also have their own health challenges, both during the patient’s illness and in the bereavement period.
    • What is “normal” for one family may be “abnormal” for another
    • Know our own views, values, norms. and biases
  • History of the parent/child relationship will impact today and future care
  • Care at EOL often blurs familial role/relationships
  • Family life cycle norms are disrupted due to EOL
  • “Sandwich generation”- those caring for both their children and their parents simultaneously
  • Family communication speaks to family functioning (or dtysfunctioning)
5
Q

Caregiving…A Universal Experience

A
  • There are only four kinds of people in this world
    • Thos who have been caregivers
    • Thos who currently are caregivers
    • Thos who will be cargivers
    • Thos who will need cargivers
6
Q

Family Caregiving

A
  • Home as putpatient medical care setting
  • Caregiving responsibilites at end of life generally intensify
  • People are living longer, and in some cases sicker, the role of and need for caregiving is extended
  • This emotional support is important in reducing anxiety and depression in the patient
  • Family needs are often concealed in the shadows, while the spotlight of concern and support is focused on the patient
    • Caregiver is seen as the “lost” person because the medical team is focused on the patient not the caregiver
  • Caregiver role will end with the death of their loved one
  • Caregiver support in integral to longevity of their role
  • Compassionate care benefits: 6 months
7
Q

Caregiver Resilience

A
  • Ability to adapt or to improve one’s own conditions following experiences of adversity
    • Families need reassurance
    • Caregiver support are part of that resilience piece
  • Involves behaviours. thoughts, and actions
    • These can be learned and developed
  • Adjust to a “new normal”
  • Bringing comfort to comfort care
  • Highlight strengths and coping strategies
8
Q

Caregiver Stress

A
  • Family can provide great insight to the healthcare team about their loved ones during EOL
  • Lonliness and isolation- lack of supports- can lead to feeling helpless
  • Can be seen as the demanding family; the rude family, stressful family; results of stress, grief, denail (emotions and not coping; not sure what to do)
    • Why communication is important
9
Q

Communication

A
  • Communicate!
  • Patients/families know themselves best- allow them to have their own experience
  • Comforting silence
  • Filling the void
10
Q

Anticipatory Grief

A
  • A grief reaction that occurs before an impending loss
  • More than that, in advance of death we grieve:
    • The loss of person’s abilites and independence
    • A loss of hope
    • Loss of future dreams
    • Loss of stability and security
    • Loss of their identity and our own
    • This giref is the many losses that have occured throughout disease trajectory