NCT04086017

Teaching Caregivers of Hospice Patients to Administer Reiki

Teaching Caregivers of Hospice Patients to Administer Reiki for Symptom Management and Caregiver Support: A Feasibility Pilot Study

• Status: Withdrawn
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 0 (actual)
• Sponsor: Ohio State University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Being a family caregiver for a patient at the end of life is both rewarding and stressful. When the end of life is nearing, caregivers may be unsure of how to help their family member. Reiki, a light touch energy therapy has been shown to increase relaxation and improve sleep quality, and decrease pain, anxiety, depressive symptoms, and medication use in both hospitalized and community-dwelling adults. This feasibility study is designed to evaluate whether teaching caregivers is feasible in addition to evaluating any benefit to FCGs and patients.

Detailed description

The time a patient and family caregiver (FCG) spend together in a patient's final days is filled with emotion. Patients may turn inward and be filled with peace, or they may be bothered by symptoms. Caregivers often experience feelings of helplessness and anticipatory grief. Learning and providing a skill such as Reiki may give caregivers a way to help the patient with symptoms while at the same time feeling useful. Patient and caregiver closeness may be enhanced. Reiki has been shown to be helpful with symptoms such as pain, anxiety, depression, fatigue, and others. However, teaching caregivers of terminal hospice patients, Reiki has not been studied. The knowledge gained from this feasibility study will guide future interventions aimed at the comfort of hospice patients and FCGs. Approximately 1.49 million Medicare beneficiaries received hospice care during 2017, and most had a FCG. During the final days or weeks, FCGs are unsure of what do or how to best help the patient when everyday caregiving actives such as physical care or nutrition are not required or no longer desired by the patient. Caregiver symptoms of depression, anxiety, or anticipatory grief increase toward the end of life along with increased patient symptoms. Having a specific skill to help the patient with symptoms or simply to show care and provide touch may empower FCGs and improve the quality of life for both caregivers and patients.

Conditions

• Hospice
• Pain
• Anxiety
• Stress

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Reiki therapy	Reiki is a complementary health approach where trained providers place their hands lightly on or just above a person, in discrete positions, with the goal of facilitating the person's own healing response. A Reiki practitioner will perform the initial teaching and instruct the caregivers how to perform a simple 10-minute Reiki and self-Reiki session.

Timeline

• Start date: 2020-10-01
• Primary completion: 2021-05-04
• Completion: 2021-08-31
• First posted: 2019-09-11
• Last updated: 2024-12-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States