Maditobane Robert Lekganyane
University of South Africa, South Africa
Title: The relationship dynamics of palliative care between home-based caregivers and their patients: a South African study of home-based care
Biography
Biography: Maditobane Robert Lekganyane
Abstract
The nature of relationship that palliative caregivers have with their patients is a very personal experience requiring sustained effort from both the caregiver and the patient to enhance this relationship. Whereas the former allow the latter into their private lives to care for and support them, the latter expect patients to cut-off certain behaviours and lifestyles, which may aggravate their conditions. The overall aim in this process is to help the patients to recover from their condition and develop strength enough to care for themselves and fend for their loved ones. With the dearth of research-based literature around the nature of relationship, palliative caregivers have with their patients, qualitative research, which was guided by descriptive, contextual and phenomenological research designs, was conducted in South Africa to uncover the dynamics involved in the relationship between the caregivers and their patients during the caregiving process. Twenty-five palliative caregivers who were sampled through purposeful and snowball sampling responded to the semi-structured interviews, which were later analysed. Frustrations were found to be common among caregivers as triggered by patients with mood swings, some of whom lacked hope, abuse substances and non-compliant to treatment. Some male and older patients who respectively refused to be cared by young and female caregivers further exacerbated this relationship, making it more hostile. Suggestions for programs aiming to support caregivers to enhance their relationship with patients to be developed and integrated into palliative care programs.