Cancer remains the second leading cause of death globally, with rising incidence rates each year. Home-based hospice care allows patients with terminal cancer to spend their final days at home, encompassing scheduled visits, 24-hour on-call support, and symptom management. The overall aim of this study was to update and synthesize qualitative research on home-based hospice care based on the experiences of family caregivers of patients with cancer. Five full-text articles met the eligibility criteria for this meta-synthesis research. Five overarching analytical themes, and 2 central themes were identified, including (1) being physically and emotionally present and (2) sharing responsibilities. The 3 subthemes that support the main theme of “being physically and emotionally present” were a sense of togetherness, family responsibility, and being there until the end. Similarly, for the main theme of “sharing responsibilities”, the 2 subthemes included: formal support and informal support. Read more…
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