Exploration of home care resources for rural families with cancer

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the availability and perceived adequacy of formal resources to assist family caregivers of rural persons with cancer. Ten participants who had provided home care for a family member with cancer throughout their illness and death were interviewed in two focus groups. An important finding was that the more rural the family, the more limited and inadequate the formal resources available to assist the family. A second major finding was that the longer the dying trajectory and the greater the deterioration of the person with cancer, the more resources became inadequate and the greater the caregiver burden.