Assessing the Burden of Care on Relatives of Adult Patients in the Palliative Medical Care Unit

Abstract

This article presents the results of a pilot study examining the burden of care experienced by family members of adult patients in need of palliative care during the home-based care period, as well as their related needs. The study was conducted through an online survey of 26 caregivers during the initial days following the patient’s hospital admission. The majority of respondents were women (69.2%) of working age, many of whom combined caregiving responsibilities with other duties. Most participants (20 individuals) served as the primary caregiver. Over half (54%) rated their level of fatigue as 4 or 5 on a five-point scale. A total of 63.8% of respondents reported spending more than half of their time on caregiving , while 27.3% indicated that it occupied nearly all of their time. The main difficulties identified by caregivers were hygiene-related procedures and moral and psychological strain. A significant number of respondents also reported a lack of time, resources, and energy to provide care, as well as limited financial means to hire professional assistance. These findings underscore the pressing need for comprehensive support programmes for family caregivers, including training , psychological support, and enhanced access to specialised services.