Mobilizing college students to provide caregiver support at end-of-life

Vanessa Jones Briscoe, PhD, MSN, ARNP

Chair, Department of Aging Studies

Associate Professor

About Bethune-Cookman University

Located in Daytona Beach, Florida Founded in 1904 by Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune B-CU is a Christian university, private and fully

accredited B-CU is the 4th largest of the 39 member United Negro

College Fund (UNCF) colleges The student body (approximately 4,000

undergraduate, professional, and graduate students) and more than 400 faculty and staff are racially and ethnically diverse.

Why Respite for Hospice families?

With a growing elderly population, more palliative care professionals are needed. End-of-life ethical issues and dilemmas are inherent when providing care to older adults and their families. Training, philosophy and codes of ethics (assimilated by healthcare students) influence the attitudes that come from these relationships; which potentially sway their future career choice(s).

The Time-Out Respite Program (Time-Out)

Established by the Intergenerational Center at Temple University; mobilizes college students and reimburses them for providing respite services to those who are caring for frail elders.

Bethune-Cookman University (B-CU), served as a pilot replication site, partnered with local hospice agencies to deliver services.

Students received program orientation and hospice training. The students were then matched with a hospice client and

assigned to visit their home two days/week at two-hour intervals.

Time-Out: students and families served 61 students, caregivers and elders participated in Time-Out

doing the grant period (January-December, 2014). Recruited and trained 36 students to serve as respite

workers for families caring for frail elders (total hours of orientation and hospice training =576).

13 students actually had opportunity to provide respite services to 13 families (spent a total of 146.5 hours in the homes of hospice patients providing respite for caregivers).

Our Story Essay

“Our Story” Essay – Students that participated in Time-Out had the opportunity to summarize their encounters and submit photos that expressed their relationship with the client and family members (This project allows them to validate and process the relationship formed with the client and family.).

“Our Story” A Day in the home of Mrs. Rosa

“It is a smile that can brighten someone’s day and a simple touch that can make them smile.”

Results

Students completed pre and posttests, interview and debriefing sessions, program evaluation forms, and the “Our Story” essay. The caregivers completed client satisfaction questionnaires.

Program evaluations indicated that Time-Out had a positive impact on patients, caregivers and students.

Students reported that the program increased awareness and understanding of the strengths of older adults as well as the challenges they face at end-of-life.

Students also reported forming meaningful relationships with older adult patients and their families; as a result of their involvement in the program.

Associated Events

Associated Events: 2015 Dementia Summit (January 28, 2015) 2015 Caregiver Symposium (April 10, 2015) Stage play Mama’s Girls (June 28, 2015)

Conclusion

The Time-Out program builds on B-CU’s initiatives through their many outreach programs to foster relationships between older adults and university students.

The program is truly distinctive as it utilizes our students as respite workers and focuses intentionally on building meaningful relationships across generations.

Next Steps for Time-Out Respite Program

Focus Groups – Continued student participation in focus groups to talk about their Time-Out experiences.

“Our Story” Essay – Continue to give students opportunity to summarize their encounters and submit photos that expressed their relationship with their Time-Out families.

Incorporate Time-Out program as part of required gerontology practicum course .