The relationship between hospice length of stay and caregiver adjustment.
This study investigated the hypothesis that the greater the predeath length of stay in hospice the better would be the primary caregivers' bereavement adjustment 6 months post death. One hundred sixty caregivers from a 30% pool of hospice survivors who voluntarily returned 6-month, follow-up questionnaires were studied. Five length of stay groups were compared. There were no statistically significant differences in bereavement adjustment between caregivers with varying predeath lengths of stay. It was concluded that bereavement resolution is a complex process, and that cumulative medical illness burden, impairment of ADLs, and caregiver burden need to be considered.
Speer
D C
DC
Robinson
B E
BE
Reed
M P
MP
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000368:Aged; D001601:Bereavement; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006738:Hospices / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires