title: How well are we caring for caregivers? Prevalence of grief-related symptoms and need for bereavement support among long-term care staff.
abstract: To define the prevalence and correlates of grief-related symptoms among long-term care staff who care for patients near the end of life, a cross-sectional survey was conducted at six Program of All-inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) organizations that provide long-term care in the home and in institutions. All clinical and non-clinical program staff were surveyed to examine the prevalence of 20 grief-related symptoms and assess current sources of bereavement support, as well as willingness to use additional sources of support. Surveys were completed by 203/236 staff (86%), who described a wide variety of symptoms they attributed to the death of one of their patients in the past month. Most staff (147/203; 72%) reported at least one symptom. Staff with more symptoms had experienced more patient deaths in the past month (Spearman rho = 0.20, P = 0.007), had worked for a longer time at a PACE organization (Spearman rho = 0.16, P = 0.031), and reported a closer and longer relationship with the last patient who died (Spearman rho = 0.32, P < 0.001; rho = 0.24, P = 0.001). Although staff identified several informal sources of bereavement support (mean 2.3 sources, range 0-6), almost all (n = 194; 96%) said they would use additional support services if they were offered. These community-based long-term care staff experience a variety of symptoms attributable to the deaths of their patients, and would welcome additional sources of bereavement support.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: Elizabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Rickerson
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Somers
authors.forename: Christine M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.forename: Neville
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strumpf
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Casarett
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D006117:Grief; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D016014:Linear Models; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012944:Social Support; D000078329:Workforce