Home Away From Home: Trajectory of Depression and Staying at the Hope Lodge

Psychological turmoil brought on by a cancer diagnosis affects both the patients and their family members. Such distress can be aggravated during cancer treatment when the patient and caregiver are away from home where their social support system is centered. The Hope Lodge facilities provide free, home-like temporary lodging for patients and their caregivers close to treatment centers. This study examined the trajectory of depressive symptoms reported within the first year after the cancer diagnosis among cancer patients and their family caregivers who stayed at the Hope Lodge. A total of 247 patients and their caregivers participated in the study (mean age = 58, 61% female, 59% had less than college education, 52% employed, and 75% of caregivers were spouse of the patient). Depressive symptoms were measured using the CES-D before (T1) and 2 weeks (T2), 4 months (T3), and 12 months (T4) after staying at the Hope Lodge. Average levels of depressive symptoms reported by patients ranged 10.86 to 12.79; and those by caregivers ranged 9.42 to 14.19 ≥ 16 is clinical cut-off. Results of repeated measures analyses with polynomial contrasts revealed that for both groups, depressive symptoms were the lowest at T2 (ps < 0.01). This pattern was replicated with the MOS SF-12 mental health scores (ps < 0.01). Caregivers' heightened depressive symptoms and poor mental health persisted up to T4 (p < 0.01). Results suggest that many patients and caregivers experience depressive symptoms just after the diagnosis. Caregivers' depressive symptoms and poor mental health appear to persist a year after the diagnosis, except for during the time they stayed at the Hope Lodge.