Are family carers part of the care team providing end-of-life care? A qualitative interview study on the collaboration between family and professional carers.

Background: The attention of healthcare professionals is directed mainly towards the recipients of care and often insufficiently towards family carers. However, an effective collaboration between professionals and family carers is vital to provide quality palliative and end-of-life care. Such collaboration is under-studied in a palliative care context.

Family carer support in home and hospital: a cross-sectional survey of specialised palliative care.

Objectives: To evaluate: (1) to what extent family carers of people supported by specialised palliative care services felt they had been provided with information, support and aftercare and (2) how this varied by type of palliative care service, length of enrolment and characteristics of deceased.

Methods: A cross-sectional postal survey was conducted using a structured questionnaire with nine items on information, support and aftercare provided by specialised palliative care services to family carers. Flemish family carers of people who had made use of specialised palliative care services at home or in hospital were contacted.

Do physicians discuss end-of-life decisions with family members? A mortality follow-back study.

Objective: Deaths from chronic illness are often preceded by a potentially life-shortening end-of-life decision (ELD). Involving family in these ELDs may have psychosocial benefits for them and the dying person. This study aims to examine how often ELDs are discussed with relatives of the dying person and which characteristics determine their involvement in those ELDs.