Educating carers of patients with advanced pulmonary disease

Our study aims to understand the health, economic and social costs associated with caring for patients with advanced pulmonary disease (APD) and to determine health, economic and social impact of improving the skills of caregivers of patients with APD has on patients and their carers. Patients with APD are a large population at high risk of health resource use, unnecessary medication use and emergency admission to hospital or residential care facilities. Although previous research has identified difficulties experienced by caregivers of the elderly in general, very little research has been undertaken with carers of patients with APD. The study will compare the usual practice of educating patients with APD who commence home oxygen therapy (HOT), and their carers, against a more detailed and individually targeted education program that increases the skills of patients and carers. This study has the potential to reduce hospital/residential care readmission, reduce carer distress, improve patient outcomes, reduce adverse effects of oxygen therapy and medication use, and minimize inappropriate presentation to tertiary care emergency departments.