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The Family Talk Intervention in palliative home care when a parent with dependent children has a life-threatening illness: A feasibility study from parents’ perspectives

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2020

Anette Alvariza Open the ORCID record for Anette Alvariza [Opens in a new window] ,
Li Jalmsell ,
Rakel Eklund Open the ORCID record for Rakel Eklund [Opens in a new window] ,
Malin Lövgren  and
Ulrika Kreicbergs
Anette Alvariza*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre, Box 11189, 100 61Stockholm, Sweden Capio Palliative Care, Dalen Hospital, Stockholm121 87, Sweden
Li Jalmsell
Affiliation:
Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre, Box 11189, 100 61Stockholm, Sweden Karolinska University Hospital, Department of Breast Cancer, Endocrine Tumours and Sarcoma, Stockholm171 76, Sweden
Rakel Eklund
Affiliation:
Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre, Box 11189, 100 61Stockholm, Sweden
Malin Lövgren
Affiliation:
Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre, Box 11189, 100 61Stockholm, Sweden The Department of Women's and Children's Health, Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Childhood Cancer Research Unit, 177 77Stockholm, Sweden
Ulrika Kreicbergs
Affiliation:
Department of Health Care Sciences, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre, Box 11189, 100 61Stockholm, Sweden The Department of Women's and Children's Health, Paediatric Oncology and Haematology, Karolinska Institutet, Karolinska University Hospital, Astrid Lindgren Children's Hospital, Childhood Cancer Research Unit, 177 77Stockholm, Sweden
*
Author for correspondence: Anette Alvariza, Ersta Sköndal Bräcke University College, Palliative Research Centre, Box 11189, 100 61 Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: anette.alvariza@esh.se
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Abstract

Objective

One of the main goals of the Family Talk Intervention (FTI) is to increase communication within families with dependent children about illness-related consequences and to support parenting. FTI is family-centered and includes six manual-based meetings led by two interventionists. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of the FTI in terms of acceptability from the perspective of parents in families with dependent children where one parent receives specialized palliative home care.

Method

A descriptive design employing mixed methods was used to evaluate the FTI in specialized palliative home care. In total, 29 parents participated in interviews and responded to a questionnaire following FTI. Qualitative content analysis and descriptive statistics were used for analyses.

Results

FTI responded to both the ill parent's and the healthy co-parent's expectations, and they recommended FTI to other families. Parents found the design of FTI to be well-structured and flexible according to their families’ needs. Many parents reported a wish for additional meetings and would have wanted FTI to start earlier in the disease trajectory. Parents also would have wished for a more thorough briefing with the interventionists to prepare before the start. The importance of the interventionists was acknowledged by the parents; their professional competence, engagement, and support were vital for finding ways to open communication within the family. The FTI meetings provided them with a setting to share thoughts and views. Parents clearly expressed that they would never have shared thoughts and feelings in a similar way without the meetings.

Significance of results

According to parents, FTI was found acceptable in a palliative home care context with the potential to add valuable support for families with minor children when a parent is suffering from a life-threatening illness.

Keywords

ChildrenCommunicationInterventionLife-threatening illnessPalliative careParents
Type
Original Article
Information
Palliative & Supportive Care , Volume 19 , Issue 2 , April 2021 , pp. 154 - 160
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Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

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