Chapter 19: Working With Families
Description:
This chapter focuses on work with care of families in the palliative phase of a person’s illness. Provision of family palliative care requires attention to three key matters: the definition of the family requiring care; the most common needs of family members; and the most appropriate and useful interventions.
Topics:
- Definition of the family requiring care
- Needs of family members
- reassurance regarding patient comfort
- family information needs
- family practical care needs
- family emotion support
- Appropriate and useful interventions
- patient comfort
- family information
- family emotional support
- family practical assistance
- Conclusion
Authors / Speakers:
Linda Kristjanson
Linda is the professor of palliative care at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Western Australia). Linda holds a joint appointment at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital where she serves as director of the Cancer Nursing Research Network. She is also the director of hospice research for Silver Chain Hospice Service in Western Australia. Linda obtained her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Manitoba (Canada) and her PhD from the University of Arizona (USA). She has received research funding from local and national organisations in Canada and Australia focusing on the palliative-care needs of patients and their families.
Peter Hudson
Peter is a senior lecturer in palliative care at the School of Postgraduate Nursing and the Centre for Palliative Care at the University of Melbourne (Victoria, Australia). Peter’s PhD work focused on developing and evaluating a supportive intervention for families caring for dying relatives. He began working in palliative care as a district nurse in London (UK) in the early 1990s, and was employed for several years with a large Melbourne metropolitan community-based palliative-care service as a clinical coordinator. Peter has held several teaching appointments incorporating undergraduate, postgraduate, and distance education. He is an executive committee member of the Board of Directors for Palliative Care Victoria (Australia).
Lynn Oldham
Lynn is a research associate with the Cancer, Palliative Care and Family Health Research Group at Edith Cowan University (Perth, Western Australia). Lynn’s PhD work has involved the development and testing of a pain-management program for family caregivers of advanced cancer patients. Lynn has been working in palliative care for many years in both community and inpatient settings. She was the inaugural clinical nurse specialist at the Cancer Foundation Cottage Hospice (Western Australia) and is an executive committee member of Palliative Care WA.
|
Resources 
