Improving the psychological wellbeing of family caregivers of home based palliative care patients: A randomised controlled trial

This study will examine the effectiveness of a psycho-educational intervention aimed at promoting coping and psychological wellbeing in family caregivers caring for a relative receiving home based palliative care. The intervention will be offered in a full version (two home visits and one phone call) and the 'rural' format (one home visit and two phone calls). The main hypotheses are: 1. Primary family caregivers who receive the intervention will report: increased perceived competence for their caregiving role; increased perceived preparedness for their caregiving role; increased positive emotions associated with their role; decreased unmet informational needs; decreased levels of psychological distress, when compared with caregivers in the control group one week after the intervention. 2. Family caregivers receiving the intervention will report decreased levels of psychological distress when compared to controls 3 months following bereavement.