Family Carers Need More Support to Prepare for a Loved One’s Death

People acting as carers for terminally ill family members need more support to help them prepare emotionally for the death of their loved ones.

That is the finding of new research from Curtin University, which revealed that while many assume those providing palliative care are prepared for their loved ones’ passing, in reality this is often far from true, particularly when it comes to emotional readiness.

“There is a tendency to assume that family caregivers are prepared for the death of the person they have been caring for, but this research shows that is not always the case,” explained Associate Professor Lauren Breen, from the School of Psychology at Curtin University, who was lead author on the study.

“While family carers might be mentally prepared in the sense that they are aware of their loved one’s symptoms and prognosis and behaviourally prepared because they have planned the finances, Wills or funeral, many do not feel prepared emotionally for life after their loved one has died,” she said. “Carers tend to be so busy with the tasks of caring that focusing on their own preparations often takes a backseat”

“This is an important aspect in a family carer’s preparation for their loved one’s death because a failure to address all these issues can be linked to post-death complicated grief, depression and anxiety,” she added.

Dealing with the death of a family member is always going to be a stressful and traumatic experience, but making sure that an up-to-date and valid Will is in place will help avoid creating any additional, unnecessary stress at an already difficult time.

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