Psychoeducation Sessions with Caregivers of Patients with Terminal Stage Cancer, A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychoeducation sessions we held with the caregivers of advanced terminal cancer patients in our palliative care center in terms of the physical, psychological, social and economic problems experienced by the participants. Material and Methods: It is a qualitative study in which the impressions of the palliative care team were evaluated in the psychoeducation sessions held with the caregiver relatives of terminal cancer patients between September 1 and December 31, 2019 at Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa University Palliative Care Center. A total of 68 caregiver relatives attended 11 sessions. In the sessions, notes were taken by the palliative care team with the permission of the participants. By categorizing the data, the most common problems and needs of the relatives of the patients were determined. Results: The mean age of the participants was 47.8±13.9 and 60.3% were female. The most common physical problems in the participants; insomnia, headache and loss of appetite were observed. Participants stated their emotional changes as helplessness, stress, anger, sadness and loneliness. The lack of knowledge about the disease and treatment process was observed in the majority of the participants. In our psychoeducation sessions, the participants stated that talking about their feelings and experiences and feeling that they were understood made them 'very comfortable and realized that they desperately needed it'. Conclusion: Meeting with the relatives of patients who have similar problems and enabling them to express their problems in the presence of experts will be beneficial in terms of awareness, insight and education.

Keywords

• cancer
• caregivers
• palliative care