222293 Informal caregivers' experiences and opinions on medication management for home hospice patients: Preliminary survey results

Monday, November 8, 2010 : 9:15 AM - 9:30 AM

Denys T. Lau, PhD , Department of Pharmacy Administration, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Brian Joyce, BA , Division of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of Illinois at Chicago, School of Public Health, Chicago, IL
OBJECTIVES: Medication management is an important responsibility for informal caregivers of patients receiving end-of-life care at home. This study provides preliminary results on caregivers' experiences with hospice medication management. METHODS: Telephone surveys were conducted with a convenient sample of 30 informal caregivers who managed medications for patients from 5 Chicago-based hospices. RESULTS: Among 30 caregivers (50% daughters, 30% spouses, 20% others), 80% were female and 83% White. On average, the age of caregivers were 58 years, had cared for the patient for 6 years, and currently managed 6 medications. Of all caregivers, 19 (19/30=63%) believed that giving a short-acting pain medication when their patient was already taking a long-acting one would lead to an overdose. While 15 caregivers (15/30=50%) had patients taking opioids, the same number (15/30=50%) believed that morphine was addictive and should be rarely used. Twelve caregivers (12/30=40%) reported having missed at least one scheduled medication dose. Of 22 caregivers (22/30=73%) who cared for a cognitively-intact patient, 17 (17/22=77%) would actively give medications as prescribed even if the patient refused medications; 6 caregivers (6/22=27%) had experienced patient's refusal. Twenty-five caregivers (25/30=83%) had multiple family members caring for the patient. Of them, 8 (8/25=32%) had family disagreement over the treatment plan. Of 8 (8/30=27%) employing privately-hired caregivers, 2 (2/8=25%) had a hired caregiver disagreed with hospice-prescribed medications; however, none of the 8 would ask hospice for guidance to resolve the disagreement. CONCLUSION: Our preliminary findings highlight concerns that hospice providers may address when assisting informal caregivers with medication management.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related nursing

Learning Objectives:
1) Discuss caregivers' experiences with and opinions on managing medications for patients receiving end-of-life care at home. 2) Identify concerns that hospice providers may need to address when assisting informal caregivers with medication management

Keywords: End-of-Life Care, Caregivers

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the P.I. of the NIA K01 grant award that funded this project being presented.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Back to: 3031.0: End of Life Care/Issues