Journal of palliative medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Gender Differences in Caregiving at End of Life: Implications for Hospice Teams.
Researchers have identified important gender differences in the experience of caring for a family member or friend living with advanced disease; however, trends suggest that these differences may be diminishing over time in response to changing gender roles. In addition, while many studies have found caregiving experiences and outcomes to be poorer among female caregivers, noteworthy exceptions exist. ⋯ Despite changing social expectations, pronounced gender differences persist in caregiving at the end of life.
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The convergence of prevalence, cost, symptom experience, community setting, and informal caregiving in heart failure (HF) has profound implications for outpatient palliative care. The majority of HF patients depend on informal caregiver's assistance. Dyadic (patients and caregiver) characteristics can complicate this assistance. Yet relatively little is known concerning dyadic characteristics' impact on self-care. HF self-care involves routine, daily treatment adherence and symptom monitoring (self-care maintenance), and symptom response (self-care management). ⋯ This study suggests that caregivers, often unacknowledged or unmeasured, impact patient's day to day HF self-care. Palliative care clinicians need to talk to dyads with a history of poor self-care about their relationship.