A qualitative study exploring family caregivers’ support needs in the context of medical assistance in dying
Open accessAbstract
Objectives: Family members are often involved in the provision of care to a relative at some point in their life. Their role becomes inherently complex when their care recipient is interested in seeking medical assistance in dying (MAID). As assisted death for “grievous and irremediable conditions” was legalized in Canada in 2016, the perspectives of family caregivers have received little attention. To best support caregivers to individuals seeking assisted dying, healthcare practitioners must first understand the perspectives of family caregivers in this context. The objective of this qualitative study was to explore the experiences and support needs of family caregivers who are or who have provided care to individuals who are seeking or have sought MAID. Methods: This study employed a qualitative descriptive design. Family caregivers supporting individuals living with grievous and irremediable conditions were recruited through social media outlets and support organizations. Data were collected through semi-structured telephone interviews and online surveys. Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: The study included 11 participants, comprising spouses, parents, and adult children. The research identified three prevalent themes: the caregiver experience including roles and responsibilities and the impact of their role; the MAID experience including the process and their thoughts and feelings about MAID; and caregiver insight into supports and services viewed as valuable or needed for the MAID process. Significance of results: Study findings may assist in the provision and development of best practice resources and guidelines to support healthcare professionals involved in the delivery of MAID. Specifically, caregivers need to be supported in the context of their caregiving responsibilities to minimize the impact on their own lives and optimize their MAID experience.
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Participants identified support needs for both patients and families during and following the MAiD MI-SUMC assessment, including instrumental supports with end-of-life planning, and bereavement supports for families.
“participants identified support needs for both patients and families during and following the MAiD MI-SUMC assessment, including, in alignment with prior studies on MAiD for conditions other than mental illness [26, 58, 59], instrumental supports with end-of-life planning, and bereavement supports for families [60].”
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- Authors
- Smolej, E., Malozewski, M., McKendry, S., Diab, K., Daubert, C., Farnum, A., Orianna, S., Reel, K., & Cameron, J. I.
- Affiliations
- University of Toronto (CA)
- Sunnybrook Health Science Centre (CA)
- Corresponding author
- Cameron, Jill I.
- Venue
- Palliative and Supportive Care
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 2022-06-01
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 254-260
- ISSN
- 1478-9515 (ISSN-L)
- 1478-9523
- OpenAlex
- W4281725169
- Cited by
- 22
- References
- 25
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 1
- FWCI
- 3.54
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Palliative & Supportive Care (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative Care and End-of-Life Issues
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Palliative and Oncologic Care
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Grief, Bereavement, and Mental Health
- Keywords
- family caregivers, medical assistance in dying, caregiver support needs, assisted dying, caregiver experiences, end-of-life care
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