Anna Ugalde1, Natalie Winter2, Ursula M Sansom-Daly3, Joel Rhee4, Hannah Jongebloed5, Rebecca J Bergin6, Patricia M Livingston7. 1. BA (Hons), PhD, Senior Research Fellow, School of Nursing @ Midwifery and Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 2. BNurs (Hons), PhD, Research Fellow, School of Nursing @ Midwifery and Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 3. BPsych (Hons), MPsychol (Clin), PhD, Senior Research Fellow, School of Women@s and Children@s Health, UNSW Medicine, University of New South Wales, Randwick, NSW; Behavioural Sciences Unit, Kids Cancer Centre, Sydney Children@s Hospital, Sydney, NSW; Sydney Youth Cancer Service, Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Prince of Wales Hospital, Randwick, NSW. 4. BSc (Med), MBBS (Hons), GCULT, PhD, FRACGP, Associate Professor of General Practice, General Practice Academic Unit, School of Medicine, Faculty of Science, Medicine and Health, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, NSW; Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute, Wollongong, NSW; General Practitioner, HammondCare Centre for Positive Ageing and Care, Hammondville, NSW. 5. BCrim/BPsychSci, GDipPsych, Research Assistant, School of Nursing @ Midwifery and Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic. 6. BA@Sc (Hons), PhD, Research Fellow, Cancer Epidemiology Division, Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Vic; Department of General Practice/Centre for Cancer Research, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Vic. 7. BA (Hons), PhD, Associate Dean @ Research, School of Nursing @ Midwifery and Institute for Health Transformation, Deakin University, Geelong, Vic.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Informal caregivers (family or friends of people with cancer) are a group of highly important people who support those diagnosed with cancer to remain at home and out of hospital, but this comes at a significant personal cost. Understanding strategies to support cancer caregivers is critical. OBJECTIVE: This article will present an overview of cancer caregiving and how the caregivers involved can be assisted by general practitioners (GPs). Two key approaches to general practice teams supporting caregivers will be explored: acknowledging and integrating caregivers as part of the care team and providing referrals into services and supports. DISCUSSION: The general practice team is ideally positioned to assist in the support of cancer caregivers. GPs can assist caregivers by acknowledging them as valid and important members of the care team and referring them into existing support programs. These strategies are central to supporting this important, but often forgotten, group of people affected by cancer.
BACKGROUND: Informal caregivers (family or friends of people with cancer) are a group of highly important people who support those diagnosed with cancer to remain at home and out of hospital, but this comes at a significant personal cost. Understanding strategies to support cancer caregivers is critical. OBJECTIVE: This article will present an overview of cancer caregiving and how the caregivers involved can be assisted by general practitioners (GPs). Two key approaches to general practice teams supporting caregivers will be explored: acknowledging and integrating caregivers as part of the care team and providing referrals into services and supports. DISCUSSION: The general practice team is ideally positioned to assist in the support of cancer caregivers. GPs can assist caregivers by acknowledging them as valid and important members of the care team and referring them into existing support programs. These strategies are central to supporting this important, but often forgotten, group of people affected by cancer.
Authors: Kate M Gunn; Melanie Weeks; Kristiaan J J Spronk; Chloe Fletcher; Carlene Wilson Journal: Support Care Cancer Date: 2022-02-14 Impact factor: 3.359