| Inclusion Criteria: | 1) Patients must have successfully completed a 2-week study on protocol 2006-0494, in which patient received either 1,000 ml or 100 ml normal saline daily for 14 days.
2) Patients must be willing to continue receiving fluids and sign the informed consent. If patients are unresponsive and unable to give consent, the caregivers wish to continue the fluid because they perceive that the patient will be more comfortable, a proxy consent will be given by the person holding power of attorney or a legally authorized representative. i.e. if the power of attorney or a legally authorized representative is the son, the son will give consent, and the wife, as primary caregiver, will give fluids.
3) Patients must continue to have a primary caregiver who is a spouse, parent, sibling, adult child, relative or significant other.
4) The primary caregiver must be willing to be trained and to give fluids.
5) The primary caregiver must reside with the patient and be responsible for the care. If the primary caregiver who currently does not reside with the patient, but is willing to visit patient daily, and conduct all necessary interventions and assessments required by the study will also be eligible for the study.
6) The primary caregiver must sign informed consent to participate in the study.
7) The primary caregiver must meet a competency checklist of performing subcutaneous hydration. |