Table 4 Barriers, Successes, Learnings as Documented by Volunteers
Barriers | Successes | Learnings |
|---|---|---|
➢ Family and client tensions ➢ Lack of a perceived need for navigation ➢ Difficulties contacting clients or arranging visits ➢ Finding resources, particularly financial ➢ Client symptoms that influenced engagement with navigation ➢ Uncertainty of the illness progression ➢ Emotional impact of long-term relationships with clients. ➢ Managing boundaries | ➢ Enhanced client motivation and independence ➢ Ease of navigator/client relationship (friendship development) ➢ Facilitating connections with client’s family ➢ Open and honest communication, including discussions around bad news, illness trajectories, and advance care planning ➢ Legacy conversations (i.e., documenting client’s life story) ➢ Connecting clients with community resources | ➢ Client’s support needs will fluctuate alongside their illness ➢ It is not easy to find resources/answers ➢ Clear boundaries are integral to the success of a navigator/client relationship ➢ Frequent and consistent visits and/or check-ins make the navigation process “richer” ➢ Families can identify issues that clients may not ➢ The client/navigator relationship is highly relational and personally impactful ➢ The navigator role is often one of the “friendly visitor”; listening and being present are key |