title: Burden Experienced by Family Caregivers of Patients at the End of Life: What do General Practice Teams Offer?
abstract: The aim of the study:was to determine how far general practice teams are prepared to relieve family caregivers of palliative patients from their caregiving burden, the support they actually offer, and where they identify needs for improvement.Method:Focus groups and interviews on the issues of identification and support of family caregivers were conducted with practice teams (general practitioners, GPs, and medical assistants, MAs) and the results qualitatively analyzed.Results:21 participants (14 GPs, 7 MAs) from 13 practices identified burdened family caregivers, thereupon offered support and provided contact details to local consultation services. They suggested to family caregivers that they should use their social network to create room for meeting their own needs.Conclusions:Practice teams use a multitude of individualized and unsystematic approaches to support family caregivers. In further studies within the framework of this project, systematic approaches will be identified and tried out.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Krug
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bölter
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ballhausen
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Engeser
authors.affiliation: Abteilung Allgemeinmedizin und Versorgungsforschung, Universitätsklinikum Heidelberg, Heidelberg.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Peters-Klimm