[Support of the family with schizophrenia in case of home hospice care].

There are various types of families of terminally-ill cancer patients, and care for the family should therefore be individualized. In cases where the primary caregivers have schizophrenia, caring for the patients at home might cause a serious burden to a family. From this aspect, two patients who were cared for by family with schizophrenia were reviewed. Four important factors were obtained. First, assessment of psychiatric conditions of the family collaborating with the psychiatrist or public health nurse; second, confirmation of the patients'/family's wills concerning living through death at home; third, death education given to a family; and fourth, efficient collaboration with social services by an other organization. It was considered that these factors would constitute a model for providing home hospice care to a family with schizophrenia.