Complementary therapy and support services for formal and informal caregivers in Italian palliative care hospices: an exploratory and descriptive study

The present study is aimed to assess the availability and use of complementary medicine (CM) therapies in Italian palliative care hospices, and the support services available to caregivers and hospice staff. A national sample of 30 hospices meeting study criteria provided data by means of telephone interviews. All hospices offered spiritual assistance and at least one other form of CM, with the most common being massage therapy (n = 24) and relaxation therapy (n = 10). When offered complementary therapies, 65% or more of the patients accepted them. Twenty-nine hospices provided spiritual and psychological support to caregivers during patient stays, but only 12 offered support at home. All hospices offered support services to their staff, both in individual and group formats. Despite limited empirical support, CM has become an important part of palliative care for end-of-life patients in Italy, as in many other countries.