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Family care before and after bereavement
David Kissane1, Wendy G Lichtenthal, Talia Zaider
1Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. kissaned@mskcc.org
Omega
|December 7, 2007
Summary
Family-centered grief therapy significantly reduced distress for families 13 months after a death. This preventive approach showed greater benefits for those most distressed at the start, improving hospice care quality.
Area of Science:
- Palliative Care
- Bereavement Studies
- Family Therapy
Background:
- Family distress is significant during palliative care and bereavement.
- A family-centered care model is a promising approach.
- Targeting high-risk families for intervention warrants investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the Family Focused Grief Therapy (FFGT) model.
- To assess bereavement outcomes in families receiving FFGT compared to controls.
- To determine if a preventive, family-centered model benefits at-risk families.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 81 families (353 individuals).
- Comparison of bereavement outcomes between FFGT completers and a control group.
- Analysis of baseline differences between treatment completers and non-completers.
Main Results:
- No significant baseline differences were found between treatment completers and non-completers.
- Families completing FFGT showed a significant reduction in distress at 13 months post-death.
- The most distressed individuals at baseline experienced further improvements.
Conclusions:
- A preventive, family-centered care model, like FFGT, is effective for families at high risk of distress.
- This approach aligns with improving the quality of hospice and palliative care.
- Targeted family interventions can yield significant bereavement outcome improvements.
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