New research, funded by the Irish Cancer Society and carried out by South East Technological University (SETU), reveals stark levels of energy hardship experienced by cancer patients receiving palliative care at home.
The research was carried out by a team led by the Head of the School of Humanities, Dr Suzanne Denieffe at SETU. It revealed that one in three nurses providing end-of-life care in homes across the country have experienced patients’ homes without any heating. Meanwhile, three in five nurses reported households had difficulty paying bills like mortgage, rent, and utilities.
Two in three nurses reported that their patients struggle to afford home heating, while almost half (46%) reported that there was no central heating systems in the homes they are working in. The findings also reveal that nurses reported observing damp (64%), mould (50%) and condensation (70%) in the homes where they are delivering vital palliative care. Nurses report that these conditions can have a physical and mental impact.
Responding to the findings, Averil Power, CEO of the Irish Cancer Society, said: “To think of anyone in their final days not having adequate heat is absolutely heartbreaking. The very least we should be able to provide to someone with a terminal illness like cancer, is comfort. This research shows these patients and their families are suffering needlessly at an already highly stressful and emotional time.”
Cost of cancer
She continued: “At the Irish Cancer Society, we have long campaigned and called for targeted financial supports from Government to help those who have received a cancer diagnosis deal with the cost of cancer. The experiences of patients reflected in this research underlines why Government needs to better financially support all people diagnosed with cancer, including palliative care patients. Specifically, we are calling for patients to be automatically entitled to the Household Benefits Package, the Fuel Allowance Payment, and the Additional Needs Payment. Each year, more than 9,000 people die from cancer in Ireland. All anybody wants is for their loved one to be comfortable and to live well at the end of life. The end result of ignoring these calls is cancer patients dying in cold homes.”
Dr Suzanne Denieffe, said: “People deserve a good quality of life as they are dying. Through this research, home care palliative care nurses reported to us ongoing energy hardship and financial difficulties faced by patients in their home. Our research sheds light on the hidden costs of cancer often experienced in the privacy of a person’s home. Now, we must bring this conversation into the public domain to highlight the needs of people living with a life-limiting cancer. We know that people need support, and we have brought together the evidence base and recommendations for Government to take action.”