Domiciliary care: a comparison of the views of terminally ill patients and their family caregivers

Abstract

This study compares terminally ill patients and their family caregivers in terms of the physical and emotional status of the patients, the adequacy of the support provided for the patients and where the patients would be most appropriately placed during the last stage of their lives. Patients and caregivers shared similar views about the latter, but there was a lack of concordance between them regarding the patients' physical and emotional state. Patients generally reported a much more favourable view of their outlook and emotional state than did their caregivers. Caregivers may need help to review their assumptions about the patients' emotional welfare, and caution should be used in accepting caregivers' views about how patients are coping emotionally.