Improving the psychological wellbeing of family caregivers of home based palliative care patients
Title:
Improving the psychological wellbeing of family caregivers of home-based palliative care patients: A randomised controlled trial
Funding Source:
National Health and Medical Research Council
Chief Investigators:
Professor Peter Hudson – Director, Centre for Palliative Care
Professor Tom Trauer – Professor, Mental Health Service, St Vincent’s
Professor Brian Kelly – Director, Centre of Rural and Remote Mental Health, University of Newcastle
Dr Moira O’Connor – Senior Research Fellow, Western Australia Centre for Cancer & Palliative Care
Associate Investigators:
Professor Linda Kristjanson, Mr Christopher Hall, Dr Michael Summers, Dr Victoria White
International Investigator:
Dr Kelli Stajduhar (Canada)
Project Officer:
Dr Rachel Zordan – Research Fellow, Centre for Palliative Care
Partners:
Melbourne Citymission Palliative Care Service, Victoria
Greater Western Area Health Service, New South Wales
Silver Chain Hospice Care, Western Australia
South Eastern Palliative Care, Victoria
Cancer and Palliative Care Unit, Victorian Government Department of Human Services
Duration:
This is a 3-year, multi-site project commencing in the January 2008.
Purpose:
This study will examine the effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention aimed at promoting coping and psychological wellbeing in family caregivers caring for a relative receiving home-based palliative care.
Method:
The main aim of this study is to compare outcomes for family caregivers of patients receiving home-based palliative care who receive a psycho-educational intervention with those who receive ‘usual practice’ using a randomised controlled trial study design. This randomised controlled trial will incorporate a longitudinal design with three time points of data collection: pre-intervention and within two weeks of referral to the participating palliative care service, one week post-intervention or five weeks after time 1 data collection, and twelve weeks post-patient death.
Results:
N/A
