"I Feel All Alone Out Here": Analysis of Audio Diaries of Bereaved Hospice Family Caregivers During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Djin L Tay, Casidee Thompson, Miranda Jones and 7 others
PMID 33660671WHAT IT FOUND
Bereaved hospice caregivers said the pandemic cut face-to-face support but also pushed them into video calls, remote work, and visits at a distance.
Some felt lonelier when formal support was hard to reach, while others found relief that death occurred earlier.
Key findings
01Six bereaved hospice family caregivers recorded 59 audio diaries, and 32 of those diaries mentioned the pandemic.
02Caregivers described staying connected through video calls, remote work, and visits with physical distancing, but some described difficulty accessing formal support.
03The pandemic delayed a grief-related event for one caregiver, and another caregiver felt relief that the death occurred before the pandemic.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The diaries were collected for a larger study, and pandemic content was analyzed after an amendment. Only six caregivers were included, so the themes may not apply to other bereaved families. The sample was mostly White and female, with few male caregivers. Data collection was limited, so caregivers who did not record diaries were not represented. The study did not test whether telehealth, audio diaries, or support services improve outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. Funding came from NIH/National Institute of Nursing Research, with additional NIH and research cooperative support.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these themes as proof that video calls or audio diaries improve bereavement outcomes. The study analyzed what six caregivers said in diaries collected for another project. It describes experiences, not tested support services.