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Caregivers able to discuss terminal illness through decision aids

11/23/11

Caregivers have been provided an easier way to discuss terminal illness, which might make taking care of their patients easier.

Decision aids consist of a video and workbook that can help family caregivers discuss the status of terminal diseases with a family member who has cancer. A study on decision aids was published in the November 21 issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

Dr. Young Ho Yun from the National Cancer Center in Seoul, Korea, and his colleagues studied how a decision aid assisted caregivers in discussing death with family members with cancer.

Caregivers were randomly assigned to an experimental group or control group. The experimental group was given a video and a companion workbook that showed how to discuss the prognosis with their patients, and the control group was given a video and workbook on how cancer can be controlled.

Compared with the control group, the experimental group reported significant improvement in conflict, uncertainty and value clarity subscale scores.

"Decision aids can help caregivers, with the aid of trained professionals, to communicate with patients about their terminal illness," stated the study.

Life insurance options can also be difficult to discuss with loved ones, but it is important for individuals to consider what policies might best fit their needs. With more than 1,500 deaths from cancer being reported daily in the United States, Americans might look at life insurance as a safe way to prepare for unexpected costs in the future. 

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