Home care for the dying: homemakers' perspectives

Homemakers are important members of the health care team providing hospice care at home, yet there is little information about their views and experiences. This paper summarizes findings of a survey of homemakers working with a newly-developed program for providing home care for dying patients and their families. Results indicate that homemakers perform multiple roles, which they report tend to be more demanding physically and psychosocially than other kinds of homemaking. Being able to provide comfort in a time of extreme need is satisfying to homemakers, although frustrations exist as well. Implications for program planning and future research are discussed.