Caregiver Comfort With Telehospice

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to examine comfort and emotional support that caregivers of home hospice patients derived from using electronic tablets for telehospice. The use of technology was intended to increase caregiver confidence in symptom management for individuals receiving home-based hospice care. Caregiver survey data were collected over a 2-year period. The survey included both quantitative and qualitative items. A total of 667 caregivers of home hospice patients participated. Most respondents reported being comfortable using telehospice, and as comfort levels increased, caregivers were more willing to use virtual healthcare again. Positive, negative, and neutral themes emerged from the comments by caregivers. The results of this study provide support for using telehospice with caregivers of home hospice patients. Caring for a person at the end of life is stressful and having the ability to contact a professional 24 hours a day provided comfort to the caregivers. Training is essential for caregivers to use technology and integration of technology in the care plans for all hospice patients is important for success.