Objective Relatives of patients with advanced cancer often have many caring responsibilities. Not everyone may have sufficient knowledge, skills, and confidence—also known as caregiver activation—to provide such care. We assessed caregiver activation in relatives and its association with their personal characteristics and their own well‐being. Methods A cross‐sectional study among relatives of patients with advanced cancer. Measures included caregiver activation (C‐PAM), resilience, personal self‐care, caregiver burden, depressive symptoms, quality of life, and social well‐being. The C‐PAM distinguishes four levels of activation, ranging from poor (level 1) to adequate (level 4). Bivariate and multivariable regression analyses were performed. Results Two hundred fifty‐four relatives were included; 32% had level 1 activation, 30% level 2, 27% level 3 and 11% level 4. Higher levels of caregiver activation were found among partners, those who provided more hours of informal care, were more resilient, and scored higher on personal self‐care. Higher caregiver activation was associated with lower caregiver burden, less depressive symptoms, and better social well‐being. Conclusion In our study, the majority of relatives seem insufficiently prepared to provide care for their loved one. Supporting them in gaining knowledge, skills, and confidence to provide such care may improve their own well‐being.

Purpose Clear information and supportive care are necessary for patients with cancer to effectively manage their condition. Traditionally, healthcare professionals offer information and support via the so-called formal care route. In addition, research has found favorable effects of informal care provided by volunteer programs and informal “walk-in support centers.” Less research has been done on initiatives that combine formal and complementary informal supportive care for patients with cancer. This systematic literature study aimed to discover (1) which types of initiatives are described in the literature, (2) what type of care they offer, and (3). how they are evaluated in terms of outcome measures. Methods We performed a systematic literature search of MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, and CINAHL. Studies were included if the collaboration between one type of formal care together with one type of informal care was explicitly mentioned in the article. The search was not restricted to a specific cancer type. Results A total of 4869 records were retrieved and 18 studies were included. In most studies, the care provided consisted of emotional support for, and/or providing information to, patients and their families. Initiatives were evaluated with interviews and questionnaires. Patients with cancer reported that they were satisfied with the care offered, including information, social and emotional support, help with activities of daily living, and family-related issues. Volunteers reported that visits they made were experienced positive and rewarding and the volunteers were confident about their contribution to general healthcare. Some negative experiences were reported by volunteers, e.g., interference of their own cancer diagnosis with volunteer work. The importance of proper training was stressed. Conclusions Initiatives combining formal and informal supportive care hold the potential of added value in terms of providing emotional support for, and providing information to, patients with cancer. Support and specific training for volunteers can be viewed as success factors in the involvement of volunteers in formal care practices.