What is the Personal Immune Price for Hospice Caregivers? A Case-Control Study.

In 2016, more than 1.43 million patients received hospice care in the United States and nearly half of the hospice days of care were provided at private residences [1]. Home-based hospice care increases the likelihood of death at home by 7 to 8 fold [2]. Although spousal caregivers experiencing strain were shown to be 63% more likely to die within 4 years than non-caregivers, these findings were not replicated in population based studies involving different caregivers [3-6]. Caregivers of terminal cancer and hospice patients often face increased psychosocial stressors and a perception of crisis specially when a loved one’s symptoms continue to intensify near the end of life [7]. In a study involving caregivers of Alzheimer and other dementia patients, 72% acknowledged they felt a sense of relief after the patient’s death [8].