Pervell Dunbar
University of North Georgia, USA
Title: End-of-life caring and the informal caregiver
Biography
Biography: Pervell Dunbar
Abstract
Caring of patients at end-of-life can be quite daunting to the caregiver. Patients’ psycho-social and spiritual needs are sometimes neglected in the healthcare setting. Transitioning patients from healthcare facilities to home with care being given by informal caregivers can be overwhelming. It requires a comprehensive and prioritized array of relevant and coordinated community resources. A review of researched documents established that informal caregivers who provide care and assistance do so with few supportive services. The purpose of this paper is to create an environment of care that gives solace to those who are in various stages of grieving, while educating the community through supportive care provided to informal caregivers. The social change proposed here is to bring awareness to society that informal caregivers are irreplaceable; it goes beyond family love, there is simply not enough money or workers that can replace that bond of caring. Jean Watson’s Caring Model is appropriate for this presentation.