Supporting Families & Caregivers reflects a defining feature of hospice: the family is part of the unit of care. Family caregivers carry an enormous physical and emotional load as a loved one dies, and supporting them — practically, emotionally, and through their grief — is central to the hospice mission, both during the patient's life and after. This course covers the family as the unit of care, understanding the caregiver experience, practical support and education, emotional support, supporting family dynamics and decisions, respite, communication with families, and bereavement support after death. It builds on the communication, grief, and cultural care covered earlier in the course. The throughline: when a person is dying, their family is going through it too. By supporting caregivers and families with compassion, education, and presence, you help them care for their loved one and care for themselves — through the hardest passage of life.