The contribution of museum programmes in supporting caregivers of people with life-limiting illnesses: A systematic literature review

Abstract

This review aimed to explore and synthesize the benefits that museum programmes offer to caregivers of people with life-limiting illnesses, and to critically assess the level of support provided in light of the attention to an alternative public health approach of EoLC. In pursuit of this goal, systematic searches were conducted in various databases. According to the PRISMA guidelines, this resulted in 11 unique entries. The benefits identified across studies were associated with cognitive, social, and particularly psychological benefits for caregivers, especially those caring for people with dementia. However, none of the studies investigated long-term benefits. Therefore, future research is needed to allow for a more robust synthesis of findings and to maximize benefits and minimize risks, ensuring that these programmes become more widely available to caregivers of people with life-limiting illnesses.