Gerontology & Geriatric Research

Abstract

The Caregiving Chronicles: Balancing Acts and Emotional Challenges in Cancer Care

Vatika Sibal*

The last few years there has been a significant increase in family members’ involvement in managing patients’ needs within the context of healthcare systems. In comparison to the health care system, care givers are at home who are usually related to the elderly, assisting them physically, cognitively, emotionally without any financial assistance. Looking after the elderly at this stage can affect them as they have no resources, nor knowledge and they are not prepared for this role. ‘Caregiver burden’ as a concept has a multifaceted understanding. It includes any condition that affects the caregiver physically, emotionally, financially or socially at the time the person is involved in looking after the elderly. When the elderly patient’s disease increases or worsens the burden of caregiver increases as physical and emotional support is needed more. The family may be affected by not only the disease but also hospital policies, economic difficulties, accessibility and communication of health care services. Their quality of life may be compromised as while treating the elderly, the specialist also faces multiple challenges such as uncertainty diagnostics, under currents of multiple pathologies that are associated with the diagnosis. It leads to working with a treatment from uncertainty to risk or cure or complication. The specialist faces a delicate line of ethical issues when it comes to under-treatment or over-treatment. Therefore, doctor needs to be sensitive and empathic in conveying the reality to the elderly and their family as one looks at age of the elderly, physical functioning and capabilities and past diagnosis. The present study focuses on terminally ill elderly and family members involvement in managing their needs. Working with uncertainty and risk leads to stress in the family. Whether palliative care is an option or not as one may change one’s attitude from cure to care.

Published Date: 2025-01-24; Received Date: 2025-01-03