Family Focused Grief Therapy - A Suitable Model for the Palliative Care of Cancer Patients and their Families?

Abstract

Loss is a universal human experience. Within the context of cancer and especially in the palliative care of oncological patients, anticipated and real losses and their management play a crucial role. A high proportion of patients and family members develop a treatment requiring psychiatric comorbidity (for both groups between 20 and 30%, mainly adjustment and anxiety disorders and depression). Approximately 15% of the bereaved persons suffer from complicated grief after the death of their relative. Within the early palliative care, the implementation of the Family Focused Grief Therapy (FFGT) has the potential to reduce psychological distress incl. mental comorbidities in patients and their relatives. Simultaneously, the incidence of the prolonged grief disorder in bereaved persons could be diminished (after the death of their relative). Thus, the FFGT can make a substantial contribution in order to improve the palliative care of cancer patients and their bereaved persons.