Addressing Family Caregiver Needs in a Disease-Specific Context

By Holly Vossel

Patients with longer disease trajectories can have more complex needs compared to others. The trend has family caregivers facing significant challenges, with hospices employing various strategies to address them.

Some of these patients have longer hospice lengths for stay and also need improved upstream support, according to Diana Franchitto, president and CEO of HopeHealth. The nonprofit health system provides hospice, palliative and dementia care in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. 

Family caregivers need access to education and resources well before a patient becomes eligible for hospice, Franchitto said. Having person-centered, disease-specific approaches can help with families’ greatest long-term needs such as health care system navigation and providing emotional, psychosocial and practical support, she stated.

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