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updated: November 2009
EAPC projects or Taskforces
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EAPC Task Force on Family Carers
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Since its inception the modern hospice and palliative care movement has recognised the important role that family carers play in providing care and support to patients. As a consequence, health and social care professionals are obliged to support the family alongside the person diagnosed with a life threatening illness. There is increasing evidence that family and other informal carers face many demands and experience considerable physical, psychological, social and financial challenges. Despite this, there has been limited research on how best to support family carers, limited research funding and only a small group of researchers actively exploring this area.
The EAPC Task Force on Family Carers was established in October 2008. It has the following initial working party lead by Professor Sheila Payne (UK) and Dr Peter Hudson (Australia) including: Professor Carol Tishelman, Dr Carl-Johan Fürst, Tove Bylund Grenklo (Sweden); Professor Phillip Larkin (Ireland); Dr Sabine Pleschberger (Austria) and Dr Gunn Grande, Dr Gail Ewing, David Oliviere, Pam Firth (UK). The working party will ensure that where pertinent there is a suitable level of engagement with relevant European clinicians, academics and managers in order to progress the taskforce objectives.
The EAPC Task Force on Family Carers is collaborating closely with the International Palliative Care Family Carer Research Collaboration (IPCFRC) The IPCFRC seeks to develop a strategic approach to palliative care research planning related to family carers of people requiring palliative care via establishing international partnerships and promoting information exchange. The IPCFRC operates under the auspices of the European Association for Palliative Care, but actively considers formal collaborations with other institutions (from all continents). A steering committee with representatives from Europe, USA, Canada and Australia oversees the activities of the IPCFRC. Download their brochure here.
The IPCFRC also produces a Newsletter, to access it and for more information please visit their website www.ipcfrc.unimelb.edu.au
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Objectives
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Outcomes
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Timescale (from time of EAPC endorsement of task force)
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1. Evidenced based description of family carers’ needs in palliative care and strategies for staff and managers in hospices and palliative care organizations regarding optimal ways to work in partnership with family carers for the benefit of both patients and family carers.
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‘White paper’ EAPC document and
Publication submitted to peer reviewed journal
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12 months
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2. Literature review of assessment tools for family carers
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Publication submitted to peer reviewed journal
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12 months
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3. Comparative overview of national policies in support of family carers for terminally ill patients in selected countries
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EAPC Report and
Publication submitted to peer reviewed journal
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18 months
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4.Preparation of an international survey of family carer support services provided in selected European countries
(dependant upon successful funding)
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Report and
Publication submitted to peer reviewed journal
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24 months
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For further information please contact:
Sheila Payne -
Malcolm Payne's blog http://blogs.stchristophers.org.uk/
focuses on developments in social care and social work that affect palliative and end-of-life care. It is part of the information work of St Christopher's Hospice, London.
For all those who want to join an online community where people think that social care and social work are important in end-of-life and palliative care and end-of-life care needs a higher profile in social care.
IPCFRC Newsletter November 2009 download here
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