Family carers often play a major role in the care of their dying relative and are prone to negative physical, social, financial and psychological outcomes. The philosophy and practice of palliative care includes not just the patient as the 'unit of care', but also the family. Consequently health and social care professionals are required to support the patient's family during their relative's illness and also during bereavement, but can find this type of support challenging. This book aims to provide a practical guide to family carer assessment and support and also explores key sociological, policy and research issues. The book has an international and multidisciplinary focus.

1. Communicating with famly carers, Barbara Monroe and David Oliviere 2. Understanding the social and cultural dimensions of family caregiving, Allan Kellehear 3. Responding to family carers' spiritual needs, Rosalie Hudson 4. Policy initiatives for family carers, Hilary Arksey and Anne Corden 5. Family carers in resource poor countries, Jennifer Hunt 6. Family carers: ethical and legal issues, Michael Ashby and Danuta Mendelson 7. Assessing family carer satisfaction with health care delivery, Kevin Brazil 8. Family caregiving in hospitals and pallative care units, Betty Ferrell, Tami Borneman and Chan Thai 9. Family caregiving in the home, Kelli Stajduhar and Robin Cohen 10. Family and palliative care in care homes for older people life-threatening illness, Mike Nolan and Rosalie Hudson 11. Family carers of children confronting life-threatening illness, Sharon De Graves and Jenny Hynson 12. Family carers of people with advanced cancer, Donna Milne and Karen Quinn 13. Family carers of people with advanced organ failure and neurodegenerative disorders, Janice Brown and Julia Addington-Hall 14. Support for bereaved family carers, Sheila Payne and Liz Rolls 15. The future of family caregiving: Research, social policy and clinical pratice, Peter Hudson and Sheila Payne