Navigating life when a loved one's (euthanasia) death is near: A narrative interview study from the Netherlands

Area of Science:

• End-of-life care research
• Medical sociology
• Family studies

Background:

• Exploration of family involvement in Dutch euthanasia practices.
• Context of end-of-life decision-making and general practitioner (GP)-guided home care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To understand relatives' involvement in end-of-life care, including euthanasia.
• To reframe family involvement from a medical affair to a social-relational experience.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative in-depth interview study.
• 18 close relatives of patients with incurable metastasized cancer (9 prospective, 9 retrospective).
• Informed by care-ethical insights and narrative approaches.

Main Results:

• Relatives navigate multiple life dimensions (spaces, decisions, care, emotions, relationships) during a loved one's dying process.
• Patients and relatives primarily accompany each other; GP role is valuable but vulnerable.
• Broader social networks and other professionals are crucial for support.

Conclusions:

• Family involvement in end-of-life care, including euthanasia, is fundamentally social and relational, not just medical.
• Medical professionals engage in the family's profound experience of death and dying.
• Shift in perspective necessitates greater attention to support for patients and relatives, irrespective of the mode of dying.