title: The Social Convoy for Family Caregivers Over the Course of Hospice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Family caregivers play a central role in the care of those in hospice care. Little is known about the social support networks for those providing this day-to-day care without training.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to explore changes in family and friend social networks among hospice caregivers over the course of the hospice stay.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data on social support networks were collected as part of a multisite randomized controlled trial and analyzed using structural equation modeling.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A statistically significant decline in the caregivers' family network subscale score was found over the four week period during which they received hospice services, reflecting a possible weakening of their family networks.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result illustrates the potential importance of ongoing comprehensive assessment of caregiver networks and attention to interventions that may assist in capitalizing on both the quantity of support (numbers of individuals asked to help) and the quality of social support (attending to issues of support burden).
authors.affiliation: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Albright
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Karla
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Washington
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA. Electronic address: oliverdr@health.missouri.edu.
authors.forename: Debra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parker-Oliver
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Alexandria
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Robin L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Kruse
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Demiris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology*; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D015233:Models, Statistical; D012944:Social Support; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Convoy model; caregivers; hospice; social networks; social support