Introduction
6 out of 12The many benefits of including family in cancer care
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Click through each of the icons below to find out more about the benefits of having family involved in cancer care.
Patient
Carer
Wider network of family and friends
Clinician
Family carers themselves benefit from being included in consultations
- Carers themselves attending cancer consultations are more likely to receive accurate information.
- Able to ask questions and are more likely to have their informational needs met.
- Family may feel more empowered and confident to provide home based patient care/supervision.
Patients benefit when family accompany them
- Family carers can provide patients with informational and emotional support.
- Carers help with the practical/logistical aspects of appointments and treatments.
- Carers often provide support during important treatment decision-making.
- Carers can act as an advocate for the patient- improving patient safety and quality of care.
- Family often share the burden of the cancer diagnosis and treatment patients report feeling less lonely in their experience when they have supportive family carers.
The wider network of family / friends benefit from carer involvement
- Family carers often act as a spokesperson and can communicate information about and to the wider family network.
- Wider family are more likely to have information needs met by family carer.
Clinicians benefit when family attend
- When carers are engaged, many clinicians feel reassured that their patient better understands/remembers information and is receiving support at home.
- Carers can provide clinicians with a second opinion about how the patient is coping
- Carers can give clinicians context about the patient’s life and functioning
OVERALL COMPLETION
