A Finding Balance Writing Intervention
The overall purpose of this study is to develop and pilot-test a self-administered, theory-based “finding balance” writing intervention for older adults who are bereaved after caregiving for a spouse with cancer.
Often support systems may not be adequate after caregiving ends and the bereaved caregiver may have difficulty in many ways during this time.
Currently, the writing-based intervention is being pilot-tested in the Saskatoon Health Region, with the support of Janet Martens, Bereavement Coordinator, and Meredith Wild, Manager of Palliative Care Services for the Saskatoon Health Region. Older adults are being interviewed in their homes and given the intervention to see if it helps them with their grief and difficulty finding balance. The data collectors are Registered Nurses, Jill Bally and Tammy Gebhardt.
This study received funding from the Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation.
Exploring Uncertainty and Chronicity in Women's Experiences of Ovarian Cancer
Meridith Burles (Supervisor: Lorraine Holtslander)
College of Nursing
University of Saskatchewan
Email:
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Dr. Burles is conducting a qualitative study that aims: to understand the ways in which women experience ovarian cancer as a chronic illness, and to describe how women negotiate the uncertainty of ovarian cancer and the future. Dr. Burles is asking women affected by the illness to participate in face-to-face and email interviews that explore the impact of ovarian cancer on their everyday lives. The findings of this study will identify coping strategies employed by women affected by ovarian cancer and areas for improvement in the care and support of this population.
Overview: It is well documented that ovarian cancer can affect women’s lives in many ways. For example, ovarian cancer may have short and long term implications for women’s physical, psychological, and social wellbeing. Additionally, ovarian cancer can introduce uncertainty because this illness has a high rate of recurrence and relatively low survival rate.
However, according to Dr. Meridith Burles, not enough research has focused on women affected by ovarian cancer to find out about their experiences of this illness and its implications for their everyday lives. As such, Dr. Burles is conducting a qualitative study that aims: to understand the ways in which women experience ovarian cancer as a chronic illness, and to describe how women negotiate the uncertainty of ovarian cancer and the future.
In order to find out about women’s experiences, Dr. Burles is asking women affected by the illness to participate in face-to-face and email interviews that explore the impact of ovarian cancer on their everyday lives. The findings of this study will identify coping strategies employed by women affected by ovarian cancer and areas for improvement in the care and support of this population.
Saskatchewan Women's Experiences of Ovarian Cancer: Summary of Qualitative Findings
A Finding Balance Grounded Theory
Research regarding cancer patients has become increasingly more prevalent, however research regarding the needs of their family caregivers is lacking, even more so, their experience of bereavement after caregiving ends. The purpose of this study was to explore the ways in which bereaved caregivers find balance in their lives following the loss of their spouse with advanced cancer.
Measuring Balance
Content Validity of a Finding Balance Scale for Bereaved Caregivers: A Mixed Methods Approach (manuscript currently under review)
Dr. Lorraine F Holtslander, Hollie LA Turner, Master’s student, Department of Psychology, Susan C. McMillan, PhD, ARNP, FAAN Distinguished University Health Professor, University of South Florida
Finding balance was described by bereaved caregivers as “walking a fine line between deep grieving and moving on”. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a Finding Balance scale from qualitative research interview data. The thirty items for the original scale were based on quotes from research interviews with older persons who are bereaved family caregivers of palliative cancer patients and guided by the conceptual framework of Stroebe and Shut’s (1999) Dual Process Model of coping with bereavement.
A Finding Balance Concept Development
The concept of finding balance in bereavement is unique and requires further development. A team composed of Dr. Wendy Duggleby, Dr. Ulrich Teucher, Dr. Meridith Burles, and Jill Bally, PhD(c) is currently in the process of applying the hybrid model of concept development to further explore this concept, both from the current literature and from field work.