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Self-care

Effect of education and telephone counseling on caregiver strain and unmet needs in family caregivers and self-care behaviors in patients with cancer: A randomized clinical trial

Background: Cancer treatment has been increasingly fulfilled on an outpatient basis by family caregivers. The variety and severity of caregivers' responsibilities expose them to physical and mental risks. Investigating the effect of education and telephone counseling on patient and family outcomes requires performing further studies. Aim: This study aimed to determine the effect of education and telephone counseling on caregiver strain and unmet needs in family caregivers and self-care behaviors in cancer patients.

Mon, 07/27/2020 - 13:18

A Comparison of Diet Quality of Patients With Heart Failure and Their Family Caregivers

Background: Patients with heart failure (HF) and their family caregivers usually consume similar diets, but there is a lack of evidence about diet quality of patients with HF and their family caregivers.; Objective: The specific aim of this study was to compare diet quality of patients with HF with that of their family caregivers.; Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 40 patients with HF and their 40 family caregivers completed a VioScreen Food Frequency Questionnaire from which Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI) diet quality scores (consis

Sun, 02/09/2020 - 15:37

The mediating effects of leisure engagement on relationships between caregiving stress and subjective wellbeing among family caregivers of persons with cognitive impairment: A cross-sectional study

Family caregivers of persons with cognitive impairment experience changes in reductions in leisure engagement, which can decrease their subjective wellbeing (leisure satisfaction, negative affect and positive affect). We recruited 100 dyads of patients with cognitive impairment and family caregivers by convenience sampling from outpatient memory clinics and daycare centers in northern Taiwan. Hierarchical regression analysis tested the mediating effects of leisure engagement on the relationship between caregiving stress and subjective wellbeing.

Mon, 01/27/2020 - 10:57

Health coaching to improve self-care of informal caregivers of adults with chronic heart failure – iCare4Me: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Persons with chronic heart failure are living longer. These patients typically live in the community and are cared for at home by informal caregivers. These caregivers are an understudied and stressed group. Methods: We are conducting a two-arm, randomized controlled trial of 250 caregivers of persons with chronic heart failure to evaluate the efficacy of a health coaching intervention.

Tue, 10/22/2019 - 14:48

The agency of patients and carers in medical care and self-care technologies for interacting with doctors

People living with Parkinson's disease engage in self-care for most of the time but, two or three times a year, they meet with doctors to re-evaluate the condition and adjust treatment. Patients and (informal) carers participate actively in these encounters, but their engagement might change as new patientcentred technologies are integrated into healthcare infrastructures.

Wed, 09/11/2019 - 13:20

Improving health-promoting self-care in family carers of people with dementia: a review of interventions

Background: Providing care for a family member with dementia can leave little time for carers to look after their own health needs, which makes them more susceptible to mental and physical health problems. This scoping review aimed to explore potential health benefits of interventions aimed at improving health-promoting self-care in family carers of people with dementia.; Methods: A scoping review was carried out using Arksey and O'Malley's methodological framework. EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Google Scholar were consulted.

Wed, 06/26/2019 - 13:45

Self-Compassion, Health Outcomes, and Family Carers of Older Adults: An Integrative Review

Objectives: This review sought to synthesize published evidence about the role of self-compassion on health outcomes for family carers of older adults, to describe the current state of knowledge.; Method: Using an integrative review method that permitted any research design, eight databases were searched. Extensive searching of gray literature sources was also undertaken.

Wed, 06/26/2019 - 12:56

Interdependence in Health and Functioning Among Older Spousal Caregivers and Care Recipients

Older spousal caregiving relationships involve support that may be affected by the health of either the caregiver or care recipient. We conducted a longitudinal analysis using pooled data from 4,632 community-dwelling spousal care recipients and caregivers aged ⩾50 from the 2002 to 2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study. We specified logistic and negative binomial regression models using lagged predictor variables to assess the role of partner health status on spousal caregiver and care recipient health care utilization and physical functioning outcomes.

Tue, 06/18/2019 - 16:22

Self-Care System for Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients Using Resonant Breathing with a Portable Home Device: A Randomized Open-Label Study

Background: Self-care systems for early-stage specialist palliative care for cancer patients and their family caregivers have received much attention recently. Resonant breathing is an established method for maximizing heart rate variability (HRV), but it has not been implemented for home self-care. Objective: We aimed to examine the usefulness and ease of implementation for family caregivers to administer resonant breathing using a portable device at home.

Tue, 06/18/2019 - 15:28

Testing a pain self-management intervention by exploring reduction of analgesics' side effects in cancer outpatients and the involvement of family caregivers: a study protocol (PEINCA-FAM)

Background: Pain is one of cancer patients' most frequent and distressing symptoms; however, analgesics' side effects often increase symptom burden. Further, with the home rapidly becoming the primary cancer care setting, family caregivers (FCs) commonly play central roles in patients' pain self-management, but with little or no preparation. One US-tested intervention, the PRO-SELF© Plus Pain Control Program (PCP), designed to support cancer outpatients and their FCs in pain self-management, is currently being tested in the Swiss multi-centre PEINCA study.

Wed, 06/05/2019 - 12:57