Caring for families of people with cancer: evidence and interventions

Each year approximately 495,000 Australians are diagnosed with cancer. If each of those individuals has two or three family members, the number of Australians facing the challenges of cancer care is notable. Given the fact that cancer is, for the most part a disease of the older person, it is anticipated that the number of people with cancer will continue to increase as the proportion of the population in the older aged groups expands. The needs of families who support these people are therefore expected to burgeon. When an individual is diagnosed with cancer, the impact reverberates through the family, touching all members. Family members confront uncertainties about the meaning of the diagnosis, the prognosis of the patient and the patient's needs for care and support. Family members are often required to manage physical care changes and arrangements and practical difficulties with daily living, while they handle their own emotional distress about the patient's care and concerns about the future. Families bring with them diverse histories and different approaches to coping. Some may experience the cancer illness as a prompt for greater closeness in relationships, a time for reflection about goals and values and enhanced family interactions. Others may bend under the burden of the illness and communication difficulties and dysfunctional family patterns may emerge. Memories about the cancer illness linger during the bereavement period, sometimes complicating their grief reactions and leaving them with feelings of regret. A family's perceptions of the care experience may also affect their health and family functioning. This article provides a synthesis of empirical work that offers direction about how to provide support to families of people with cancer