THE ROLE OF HOSPICE CAREGIVERS IN CARING FOR FAMILIES INFECTED WITH, OR AFFECTED BY, HIV/AIDS

Abstract

Hospice TLC is the name of a non-profit organization (NPO) rendering services in the Kokstadarea situated in the southern region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Hospice TLC has been inoperation since June 2006 and its main focus is to render holistic palliative and frail care to allpatients in their area of operation. In this article the focus will be on the role Hospice TLCcaregivers can play in meeting the bio-psychosocial needs of families infected or affected byHIV and AIDS in the Kokstad area. Through their contact with frail and terminally ill patientsthe caregivers have access to their families, affording them an opportunity to identify and meetsome of the bio-psychosocial needs of the families.