Table 3.

Examples of Caregiver Action Plans

Asking others

When Uncle offers to watch her child, caregiver will ask him to watch patient so she can spend time with her child. She plans to communicate that sitting with the patient while she ran errands with her daughter would be more helpful.

Asking son and daughter to stay with the patient so caregiver can attend a three-day conference

Ask the patient to have family game night on Fridays again to stimulate family conversation and communication

Ask doctor to slow down when communicating

Ask husband for help with children so she can better attend to patient’s needs

Ask father’s sister to help by coming on Sundays to visit with mother (patient) so caregiver can spend quality time with her husband

Sharing information

Caregiver will share her need for help and support with daughter

Strategies for sharing information with step-father regarding patient’s chemotherapy treatment

Caregiver will tell in-laws that he believes holistic modalities are not realistic for patient

Caregiver will tell sister-in-law that her brother was diagnosed with cancer

Being Present

When patient isolates herself by sitting away from family, caregiver will engage in nonverbal communication strategies to “be present” with patient.

Recognizing when something is different with the patient

Initiating and Reinforcing Self-Care

Continue to improve and maintain her self-care needs

Schedule a doctor’s appointment for routine exam

Realization that yearly physical exam has not been done

Caregiver realizes during call that she has been crying alone and needs to talk about stress of caregiving