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Publication
Preparedness for Caregiving Role and Telehealth Use to Provide Informal Palliative Home Care in Portugal: A Qualitative Study
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Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Background/Objectives: Given the increasing occurrence of long-term illnesses, it is imperative to focus on adequately preparing and assisting those who assume the responsibility of caregiving. Our study aims to explore whether caregivers feel prepared to provide informal palliative home care, their experiences, and the usefulness of telehealth in managing daily activities. Methods: Using a descriptive qualitative research design and a purposeful sampling technique, thirteen primary family caregivers who provide informal palliative home care were recruited. Data collection was conducted through face-to-face individual interviews conducted from May 2023 to July 2023. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Caregivers were mainly female (n = 8) with a mean age of 59.5 years (SD = 9.42). Based on our findings, three overarching themes emerged: (1) becoming a caregiver, (2) support-from-home palliative care team, and (3) telehealth in palliative home care. The reasons that influence the preparedness of family caregivers include their own desires, health conditions, their range of responsibilities, and the consequences that arise from the situation’s complexity. Telehealth helps fulfill the patient’s wishes to be at home in EoL and provides caregivers with access to professional guidance and support. Conclusions: Specialized home-based palliative care teams must be aware of caregivers’ self-assurance, knowledge, skills, and aptitudes in carrying out daily responsibilities and in managing emotions to improve preparedness for caregiving, loss, and its aftermath. The provision of professional PC services in the home along with a robust support system for informal caregivers is invaluable.
Description
This article belongs to the Special Issue New Advances in Palliative Care.
Funding: This study received funding under the project Help2Care-PAL: Support the caregiver in palliative care, funded by Fundação “LaCaixa” (IC21-00035). This work is also supported by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (UIDB/05704/2020 and UIDP/05704/2020)—and under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Institutional Call (https://doi.org/10.54499/CEECINST/00051/2018/CP1566/CT0012, accessed on 20 August 2024).
Funding: This study received funding under the project Help2Care-PAL: Support the caregiver in palliative care, funded by Fundação “LaCaixa” (IC21-00035). This work is also supported by national funds through FCT—Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia, I.P. (UIDB/05704/2020 and UIDP/05704/2020)—and under the Scientific Employment Stimulus-Institutional Call (https://doi.org/10.54499/CEECINST/00051/2018/CP1566/CT0012, accessed on 20 August 2024).
Keywords
Caregivers Home care Palliative care Preparedness Telehealth Qualitative study Portugal
Citation
Caetano, P.; Querido, A.; Laranjeira, C. Preparedness for Caregiving Role and Telehealth Use to Provide Informal Palliative Home Care in Portugal: A Qualitative Study. Healthcare 2024, 12, 1915. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12191915
Publisher
MDPI (Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute)