Giving support and getting help: informal caregivers' experiences with palliative care services.
OBJECTIVE
Palliative care services have made significant contributions to those needing end-of-life care, but the effect of these services on informal caregivers is less clear. This article reviews the literature and examines the influences of palliative care services on caregivers of people who are dying of cancer, HIV-related illnesses, and illnesses of later life.


METHODS
Based on questions that we developed from the literature review, we conducted six focus groups in Toronto, Thunder Bay, and Ottawa, Canada, with informal caregivers about their experiences with caregiving and with palliative care services.


RESULTS
We outline the major themes relating to the 42 focus group participants' experiences of giving support and getting help.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings help us better understand the common concerns of caregivers of terminally ill seniors, people with HIV/AIDS, and people with cancer. The article discusses the implications of participants' experiences for palliative care service providers.
Cain
Roy
R
School of Social Work, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. cainr@mcmaster.ca
MacLean
Michael
M
Sellick
Scott
S
D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D017144:Focus Groups; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000451:nursing* / Q000523:psychology; D009864:Ontario; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D012934:Social Isolation; D012944:Social Support