%0 Journal Article
%T Dignity and Deferral Narratives as Strategies in Facilitated Technology-Based Support Groups for People with Advanced Cancer
%A Annette F. Street
%A Kate Wakelin
%A Amanda Hordern
%A Nicola Bruce
%A Dell Horey
%J Nursing Research and Practice
%D 2012
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2012/647836
%X This paper examines the value of facilitated telephone and online support groups for palliative care. Telephone interviews were conducted with twenty people living with advanced cancer who had participated in either a telephone or online support group facilitated by the Cancer Council Victoria, Melbourne, Australia. Two dominant participant narratives emerged: a focus on dying with dignity or an interest in deferring discussion of death and dying to focus on the present. Despite the different approaches, participants found the technology-based support groups to be accessible and safe environments in which to discuss difficult topics in privacy. Technology-based strategies provide opportunities for health professionals to provide social and emotional care to more people by moving beyond individualised care and facilitate peer-to-peer support at the end of life, especially to those with specific needs. Such options are feasible for palliative care services to set up and acceptable to a group of clients, especially for younger clients or those socially or geographically isolated. 1. Introduction Like other high-income western countries, Australia has an ageing population and an associated increasing prevalence of cancer. In 2004, fifteen in every thousand Australians had been diagnosed with cancer in the previous five years, and, by 2010, one in two Australian males and one in three females were at risk of a cancer diagnosis before the age of 85 years. While relative survival has increased significantly, changing demographics means the number of deaths from cancer will continue to rise [5]. As in other countries [6], these changes in Australia will have important consequences for the way that health services for people at the end of life are delivered. It is unlikely to be feasible to extend current specialist palliative care to meet the anticipated demand, instead mainstream services need to acquire both skills in palliative care and understanding of the needs of people at this stage of life as part of a broader palliative approach. Recognition of the limits of existing services, both in terms of providing timely access and in meeting future palliative care needs, has prompted Australian governments to adopt and promote a health-promoting approach to palliative care designed to support Australians to live well until they die [7]. In the past, most palliative care support has been directed at individuals and their families, but as people with advanced cancer live longer in the community, more supportive care alternatives are sought. One option is
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/nrp/2012/647836/