Grant: Health System Impact Fellowships - PostDoc Western Canada 2 year

Introduction: Family caregivers for palliative and end-of-life patients play a critical role in providing care in the home. Nearly 75% of people express a wish to be cared for and die at home. However, for caregivers who support this goal, there is a significant gap in adequate and effective support. Patient-oriented research recognizes the importance of engaging patients and families in the research process. Engaging patients and families can lead to the development of a better caregiving support structure. Older adults may need additional supports for activities of daily living. Our study involves the creation, implementation, and program evaluation of the Support for Caregivers Program. We will develop a robust evaluation strategy to measure success and adjust the program as needed. Methods: The first step will be to co-design a logic model with family caregivers, volunteers and hospice staff at 3 hospices in B.C where the Support for Caregivers Program is being implemented (1 in an urban setting, 1 in a rural/urban and 1 in a rural setting). We will develop this strategy through survey data collection methods, online webinars and focus groups and interviews with hospice staff, volunteers, and program evaluation experts.The funding will support my post-doctoral fellowship. I have expertise in health services and policy research to lead the development of the program evaluation strategy. Anticipated Results: The Support for Caregivers Program will be evaluated using a patient-oriented approach leading to quality improvement initiatives and ultimately healthcare outcomes improvement. We anticipate that the program, after evaluation is completed, will meet the needs of different communities. We will spread and scale this successful program in the Province of BC. Through the development of competencies in leadership, knowledge translation, program evaluation, communication, and brokerage, I will be better positioned to pursue a career in the health care industry.