The growth of social work in palliative and end-of-life care in the United States: how did we get here?

A historical look back at the 'beginnings' of palliative social work in the United States provides a lens through which to view current areas of focus and future trends in hospice and palliative care with the objective of emphasizing the need for equitable practice approaches. The background and formative efforts to establish palliative social work in the United States as a specialty field of practice were scaffolded by the Project on Death in America, Open Society Institute's Social Work Leadership Development Award Program, and two Social Work Leadership Summits on End-of-Life and Palliative Care, which help to explain how we got here. In the development of the social work role in providing palliative and end-of-life care for individuals who are seriously ill and their families, several important functions unfolded naturally as part of our practice repertoire as professionals.

The Preservation of Spousal and Partner Relationships Among Nursing Home Residents.

Deciding to seek placement in a nursing home can be difficult for both older adults and their families, but especially so for spouses or partners of potential nursing home residents. Disruption of the attachment relationship following placement is likely to influence the psychosocial well-being of nursing home residents. This mixed-method study explored services and activities offered that emphasize the preservation of spousal and partner relationships among nursing home residents.

Problem-Solving Dimensions among Caregivers of People with Cancer Receiving Outpatient Palliative Care.

Family caregivers of people with cancer encounter a wide range of problems including challenges managing patients' symptoms, difficulties navigating complex healthcare systems, and financial stressors associated with caregiving. Outpatient palliative care teams are ideally positioned to help caregivers respond to these challenges; however, little evidence is available to inform problem-solving support for caregivers in this setting. This article presents results from a secondary analysis of data obtained as part of a randomized clinical trial of a problem-solving intervention for family caregivers of people with cancer receiving outpatient palliative care.

Hungarian Social Caregivers' Challenges in Providing Home Care to Older Adults with Cancer.

In Hungary, as in most other countries, faces an aging population. Chronic illnesses, including cancer, among older adults often require assistance from family and formal caregivers. This study's objective was to understand Hungarian social (formal) caregivers' challenges providing care in the home for older adults diagnosed with cancer.

Influential factors of well-being among Hungarian female hospice workers examined through structural equation modelling.

According to national hospice data in Hungary, approximately 1,600 healthcare employees and volunteers work in hospice care (country population of 9.9 million). The aim of the study was to identify and examine influential relationships among several variables that may affect well-being among female hospice workers.