The illness selected for this paper is cancer, which is a serious disease that sometimes can also be chronic. Caring for cancer patients is more difficult than giving care to older adults (Bevans & Sternberg, 2012). The care needed for cancer patients includes assisting with daily living activities, preparing meals, administering medications, managing finances, providing transportation, giving emotional support, and advocating for health care (Bevans & Sternberg, 2012). Performing all these activities is labor-intensive and may take a great part of the caregiver’s time. As a consequence, the burden of care affects many aspects of caregivers’ life, including biological, economic, psychological, and social ones (Fu et al., 2017). For example, the high cost of cancer treatment results in an economic burden for caregivers. The fact that care may take up to 40 hours per week means that caregivers have difficulty remaining in employment (Bevans & Sternberg, 2012). Finally, caregivers feel much distress during most phases of illness, including prediagnosis, diagnosis, treatment, recurrence, and end-of-life stages (Northhouse et al., 2012). Thus, caring for cancer patients negatively affects many aspects of caregivers’ well-being.
There are several illness-related factors that may contribute to the cancer caregiver burden. First of all, disease complexity requires caregivers to devote much of their time to caring for the ill person and entails high economic costs. Moreover, the patient’s exposure to unfamiliar treatments causes distress for both the patient and the caregiver. Caregivers worry whether their care receivers will be able to tolerate the treatment, whether the treatment will be effective, and whether the side effects will be manageable (Northhouse et al., 2012). The potential outcomes of the illness are another factor contributing to caregiver burden. According to Northhouse et al. (2012), cancer caregivers experience uncertainty and hopelessness, which are greater in those caring for recurrent cancer patients than newly diagnosed. Caregivers caring for patients with advanced cancer often have depressive symptoms equal to or exceeding the threshold for clinical depression (Northhouse et al., 2012). Thus, the complexity of the illness and uncertain or fatal outcomes aggravate the cancer caregiver burden.
Medical social workers can implement a range of interventions to relieve the caregivers’ burden. First, caregivers should be recommended to maintain healthy lifestyles because they often neglect their own health when caring for their ill relatives (Given et al., 2011). Second, caregivers should be provided with assistance regarding how to communicate with their care receivers. It is not correct to think that having close relationships with the patients means that caregivers will automatically know how to support them (Northhouse et al., 2012). Therefore, caregivers should be provided with education sessions to receive information about cancer management and useful communication strategies (Given et al., 2011). Evidence shows that interventions focused on communication and education improved caregivers’ quality of life (Fu et al., 2017). Finally, caregivers’ psychological needs should be met. Caregivers should receive an evaluation, meaning that they should be able to talk openly about their concerns and problems and be listened to carefully, which reduces their stress (Fu et al., 2017). Therefore, medical social workers should pay attention to caregivers’ needs and give them an opportunity to express their worries.
Caregivers in New Jersey have access to a range of resources that can help them cope with their burden. For example, Hunterdon Healthcare (n.d.) offers many support groups and classes to caregivers, which helps address the psychological and social needs of caregivers. Hunterdon Healthcare (n.d.) also relieves caregiver burden by helping them maintain a healthy weight, address sleep disorders, and manage nutrition. Caregivers of New Jersey (n.d.) address caregiver burden by facilitating information dissemination, providing social support to caregivers, raising awareness, and advocating for caregivers. Finally, Rahway Regional Cancer Center (n.d.) allows cancer caregivers to schedule an appointment with professionals who help them cope with the feelings of being overwhelmed, depressed, or confused. Other resources include the American Cancer Society, AARP, and Cancer Support Community, which help caregivers with transportation, managing finances, and emotional support. Medical social workers can refer caregivers to these resources to help them alleviate their burden.
References
Bevans, M., & Sternberg, E. M. (2012). Caregiving burden, stress, and health effects among family caregivers of adult cancer patients. Journal of the American Medical Association, 307(4), 398–403.
Caregivers of New Jersey. (n.d.). About us. Web.
Fu, F., Zhao, H., Tong, F., & Chi, I. (2017). A systematic review of psychosocial interventions to cancer caregivers. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(834), 1-12.
Given, B. A., Sherwood, P., & Given, C. W. (2011). Support for caregivers of cancer patients: Transition after active treatment. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, 20(10), 2015–2021.
Hunterdon Healthcare. (n.d.). Resources for caregivers. Web.
Northhouse, L. L., Katapodi, M. C., Schafenacker, A. M., & Weiss, D. (2012). The impact of caregiving on the psychological well-being of family caregivers and cancer patients. Seminars in Oncology Nursing, 28(4), 236–245.
Rahway Regional Cancer Center. (n.d.). Resources for caregivers. Web.