The perspectives of bereaved family members on their experiences of support in palliative care

• Aim: To explore family members’ supportive interactions in palliative care and the emotional experiences that they associate with these interactions. Methods: Qualitative individual interviews were performed with bereaved family members recruited from an urban palliative care service in Sweden. The interviews were analysed using inductive qualitative content analysis. Results: Five categories of supportive interactions with staff members were linked with emotional consequences: informational support, supportive encounters, professional focus of staff, a supportive environment, and bereavement support. Having a dialogue with family members nurtured certainty and security, supportive encounters gave a warm and comforting feeling, and bereavement support contributed to feelings of strength. Environmental factors contributed to dignity. Conclusion: Supportive interactions with staff and within a home-like environment help to build resilience if tailored to the family member’s own needs.

Subject headings

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Folkhälsovetenskap, global hälsa, socialmedicin och epidemiologi (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Public Health, Global Health, Social Medicine and Epidemiology (hsv//eng)

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Bereavement

Family

Grief

Loss

Palliative care

Social support

Interviews

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)