Table 1 ENABLE cornerstone core sessions, monthly follow-up, and bereavement call
Core session | Objective | Content |
|---|---|---|
Session 1: Caregiving story | Establish therapeutic alliance by exploring and validating the individual’s caregiving situation | - Supporting someone with cancer - National caregiving statistics and commonly experienced challenges - Understanding your caregiving experience, including biggest current and future concerns and what gives you strength -Orientation to and administration of caregiving distress thermometer |
Session 2: Coping with stress | Introduce caregivers to the stress process model and discuss ways to cope with stress | - Distress screening - How stress works - Ways to cope with stress - Action plan for the coming week |
Session 3: Getting help | Motivate effective social support through asking for and getting help | - Distress screening - Why some families do not ask for help - Getting help from family, friends, and community resources - 3 options for accomplishing caregiving tasks: doing it yourself, asking for volunteers (e.g., other family members and friends), and paying for help - How to decide what to take on yourself and when to ask others for help - Action plan for the coming week |
Session 4: Improving your support skills | Enhance caregiving skills and organization | - Distress screening - Tips for organizing health information, managing medications, and tracking symptoms - Providing your loved one the “right” amount and type of support - Action plan for the coming week |
Session 5: Taking care of yourself | Improve and reinforce self-care behaviors | - Distress screening - Maintaining health while under stress - Completing a self-care inventory and developing a personal health plan - Action plan for the coming week |
Session 6: Decision-making and planning for the future | Help develop plans for the future to help mitigate future stressors and potential crises | - Distress screening - Partnering with patients to make decisions in serious illness - Making decisions about cancer treatment, advance care planning, and advance directives - Basic principles of communication when making decisions - Action plan for the coming month |
Monthly follow-up (every 4 weeks) | Ensure continuity of care, conduct caregiver distress screening, and reinforce content covered in core sessions | - Distress screening - Additional informational materials and/or initiate referrals for additional support |
Bereavement call (2–6 weeks post death) | Acknowledge and express sympathy for the caregivers loss and review resources for bereavement support | - Additional informational materials and/or initiate referrals for additional bereavement support - Closure of coaching relationship |