Support for caregivers of cancer patients: transition after active treatment

Abstract

Family caregivers provide uncompensated care and assistance to a family member who has cancer. When patients move through the care trajectory into the survivorship phase, roles and demands of caregivers change and caregivers assume responsibility to assist with coordination of ongoing care. The goal of this article is to describe aspects of caregiver experiences and the roles of caregivers as patients transition from active cancer treatment into the first and early phase of cancer care. Residual problems for patients and caregivers remain for some period of time.