Family home care for individuals with cancer

Cancer care has, to a great extent, shifted to outpatient and home settings, placing more responsibility for such care on the family members. Home care encompasses a wide range of patient needs, including symptom management, monitoring and use of equipment, medical care tasks related to surgery, coordination of care, and monitoring and evaluation of key health status parameters, as well as assistance with self-care and instrumental activities. Different families organize care tasks in different ways. By understanding how a particular family responds and organizes to fulfill patient care needs, health-care professionals will have a basis upon which to construct a plan of care in partnership with the patient and family members. This article describes home care issues from the perspectives of the patient and family members, and proposes strategies that health-care professionals can use to improve the outcomes of supportive care for the patient and family.