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. 2017 Sep 6;16(1):47.
doi: 10.1186/s12904-017-0229-5.

What are families most grateful for after receiving palliative care? Content analysis of written documents received: a chance to improve the quality of care

María Aparicio  1   2 , Carlos Centeno  2   3   4 , José Miguel Carrasco  2   4 , Antonio Barbosa  5 , María Arantzamendi  6   7
Affiliations

What are families most grateful for after receiving palliative care? Content analysis of written documents received: a chance to improve the quality of care

María Aparicio et al. BMC Palliat Care. .

Abstract

Background: Family members are involved in the care of palliative patients at home and therefore, should be viewed as important sources of information to help clinicians better understand the quality palliative care service patients receive. The objective of the study was to analyse what is valued most by family carers undergoing bereavement of a palliative care home service in order to identify factors of quality of care.

Methods: Qualitative exploratory study based on documentary analysis. Content analysis of 77 gratitude documents received over 8 years by a palliative home service in Odivelas, near Lisbon (Portugal) was undertaken, through an inductive approach and using investigator triangulation. Frequency of distinct categories was quantitatively defined.

Results: Three different content categories emerged from the analysis: a) Recognition of the care received and the value of particular aspects of care within recognised difficult situations included aspects such as kindness, listening, attention to the family, empathy, closeness, affection and the therapeutic relationships established (63/77 documents); b) Family recognition of the achievements of the palliative care team (29/77) indicated as relief from suffering for the patient and family, opportunity of dying at home, help in facing difficult situations, improvement in quality of life and wellbeing, and feeling of serenity during bereavement; c) Messages of support (45/77) related to the need of resources provided. The relational component emerges as an underlying key aspect of family carers' experience with palliative care home service.

Conclusion: Family carers show spontaneous gratitude for the professionalism and humanity found in palliative care. The relational component of care emerges as key to achieve a high quality care experience of palliative care homes service, and could be one indicator of quality of palliative care.

Keywords: Families; Home-based palliative care; Outcomes; Palliative; Qualitative; Quality of care; Relationship.

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Conflict of interest statement

Ethics approval and consent to participate

The project and its procedures were reviewed, and written approval was obtained by the management department of the health centre that ECCIO belongs. The project did not involve intervention of human subjects so this approval was considered sufficient by the health centre.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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