Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-lj6df Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T20:33:06.805Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Caring for those who care for the dying: Coping with the demands on palliative care workers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 April 2006

AMI ROKACH
Affiliation:
The Institute for the Study and Treatment of Psychosocial Stress, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Abstract

The article reviews the complex and demanding field of palliative care, noting the sources of the stresses and strains that the health care workers often encounter. It illustrates the multidimensional needs of patients, the reasons why they and/or their families may hamper palliative care, and, mostly, what can be done to deal with and—better yet—prevent palliative workers' burnout.

Type
REVIEW ARTICLES
Copyright
© 2005 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Beecher, H. (1961). Surgery as placebo. Journal of the American Medical Association, 176, 1102.Google Scholar
Belsky, J.K. (1999). The Psychology of Aging: Theory Research, and Interventions. (3rd ed.). New York: Brooks/Cole.
Brems, C. (2000). Dealing with Challenges in Psychotherapy and Counseling. Belmont, CA: Brooks/Cole.
Chentsova-Dutton, Y., Shucter, S., Hutchin, S., et al. (2002). Depression and grief reactions in hospice caregivers: From pre-death to 1 year afterwards. Journal of Affective Disorders, 69, 5360.Google Scholar
Epstein, A. (2004). Darkness and light: Perspectives in palliative medicine. Palliative and Supportive Care, 2, 8385.Google Scholar
Faull, C. & Woof, R. (2002). Palliative Care: An Oxford Core Text. New York: Oxford University Press.
Harper, B.C. (1977). The Coping Mechanism of the Health Professional. Greenville, SC: Southeastern University Press.
Holeson, R. (1985). Forms of Feeling: The Heart of Psychotherapy. London: Routledge.
Hunt, M. (1991). The identification and provision of care for the terminally ill at home by ‘family’ members. Sociology of Health and Illness, 13, 375395.Google Scholar
Jackson, C. (1990). Team building. In Hospice and Palliative Care: An Interdisciplinary Approach, Saunders, C. (ed.), pp. 1425. London, UK: Edward Arnold Publishers.
Kahn, M. (1997). Between Therapist and Client: The New Relationship. New York: Freeman.
Kearney, M. (1996). Mortally Wounded. Dublin, Ireland: Marino Books.
Kirklin, D. & Richardson, R. (2001). Medical Humanities: A practical Introduction. London, UK: Royal College of Physicians.
Koff, T.H. (1980). Hospice: A Caring Community. Cambridge, MA: Winthrop Publications.
Ley, D.C.H. & Van Bommel, H. (1994). The heart of hospice. Toronto: NC Press.
Manning, D. (1985). Comforting Those Who Grieve: A Guide for Helping Others. San Francisco, CA: Harper and Row.
Mason, C. (2002). Basic themes. In Journeys into palliative care: Roots and reflections, Mason, C. (ed.), pp. 1531. London, UK: Jessica Kingsly Publishers.
Metcalfe, D. (1983). The mismatch between undergraduate education and the medical task. In Doctor–Patient Communication, Pendleton, D. & Hasler, J. (eds.), pp. 116131. London, UK: Academic Press.
Moustakas, C.E. (1961). Loneliness. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Oliviere, D. (2002). Learning in palliative care: Stories from and for my journey. In Journey into palliative care: Roots and reflections, Mason, C. (ed.), pp. 99118. London, UK: Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Osler, W. (1892). The Principles and Practice of Medicine. New York: Appleton.
Parkes, C.M. (1997). Coping with death and dying. In Cambridge Handbook of Psychology, Health and Medicine, Baum & A., et al. (eds.), pp. 9194. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Remen, R. (1996). Kitchen Table Wisdom. New York: Riverhead Books.
Robbins, M. (1998). Evaluating Palliative Care: Establishing the Evidence Base. New York: Oxford University Press.
Rogers, C. (1961). On Becoming a Person. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
Rogers, C. (1967). On Becoming a Person: A Therapist's View of Psychotherapy. London: Constable.
Rokach, A. (2004). Loneliness in cancer and multiple sclerosis. Psychological Reports, 94, 637648.Google Scholar
Rokach, A. & Rokach, B. (2005). The dying and the living: Caring for the patient and the professional who treats him/her. Presented at the 8th annual conference of the Israeli Palliative Medicine Society, Tzfat, Israel, May 19, 2005.
Schon, D. (1987). Educating the Reflective Practitioner: Towards a New Design for Teaching and Learning in the Professions. San Francisco, CA: Jossey Bass.
Skipper, J. & Leonard, R. (1968). Children, stress and hospitalization: A field experiment. Journal of Health and Human Behaviour, 9, 275.Google Scholar
Tang, S.L., McCorkle, R., & Bradley, E.H. (2004). Determinants of death in an inpatient hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. Palliative and Supportive Care, 2, 361370.Google Scholar
Twycross, R. (2003). Introducing Palliative Care (4th ed.). Oxon, UK: Radcliffe Medical Press.
Van Bommel, H. (1992). Dying for Care: Hospice Care or Euthenesia. Toronto: NC Press.
Wosket, V. (1999). The Therapeutic Use of the Self. London, UK: Routledge.
Yalom, I. (1980). Existential Psychotherapy. New York: Basic Books.