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Informal carer bereavement outcome: relation to quality of end of life support and achievement of preferred place of death

School of Nursing, Midwifery & Social Work, University of Manchester, Manchester; Centre for Family Research, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge gunn.grande{at}manchester.ac.uk

G Ewing

Centre for Family Research, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge

On behalf of the National Forum for Hospice at Home

This study investigated (a) whether carer bereavement outcome is affected by the achievement of the patient’s and/or carers’ preferred place of death and (b) the relationship between carer satisfaction with end of life care and bereavement outcome. Participants were 216 carers of patients referred to hospice at home (H@H). Prospective recording of preferred and actual place of death were obtained from H@H records. Carers’ level of grief and mental health and assessment of end of life care were obtained through postal survey three to four months post-bereavement. Fulfilment of carer preference for place of death only related to post-bereavement mental health at P < 0.1. Adequacy of psychological support showed the clearest relationship with bereavement outcome both in univariate and multivariate analyses. The level of support, particularly psychological, may be more important for carers’ bereavement outcome than achievement of the preferred place of death for the patient.

Key Words: bereavement • end of life • family carers • home care • palliative • place of death

This version was published on April 1, 2009

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 23, No. 3, 248-256 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/0269216309102620


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