Nursing researcher studies pros and cons of caregiving

by Maria Lironi

Stajduhar

The Canadian Cancer Society has awarded UVic's Kelli Stajduhar more than $300,000 to study how families cope with providing palliative cancer care at home.

Stajduhar is a Michael Smith Foundation postdoctoral fellow in the centre on aging and an assistant professor in the school of nursing.

Until now, little attention has been given to the positive aspects of the palliative care experience. According to research, family caregivers represent the backbone of Canada's health care system, providing up to 85 per cent of all care. Furthermore, in the past decade, shifts toward providing care at home have resulted in increased demands on family caregivers. This is particularly evident in the current trend to caring for patients with advanced cancer who are dying at home.

More than 67,000 Canadians die each year from cancer, and that number is expected to increase as the population ages. Cancer patients currently account for almost 90 per cent of people receiving specialized palliative and end-of-life care in Canada.

The vast majority of personal care is provided by family caregivers. "I intend to find out why some family caregivers cope better than others," says Stajduhar, describing her three-year study. "I'll focus on the characteristics of family caregivers of cancer patients and how broader contextual factors such as the organization and delivery of health care may help or hinder caregivers' ability to cope."

There are other factors to consider, such as the caregivers' personalities. Are some people more resilient or optimistic than others? "With the information we'll gain through this study, we may find ways of helping family caregivers who are having difficulty coping with their roles," she says.

Stajduhar and her team will interview family caregivers in Victoria, Vancouver and Kelowna, and conduct focus group discussions with bereaved family members. The results of the study will be made available to health policy analysts and decision-makers.