OBJECTIVE: Meaning-making may assist individuals in adaptation to stressful life events, particularly bereavement. However, few studies have examined meaning-making among pediatric populations with advanced illness to understand how this process unfolds before the child's death. This study explores meaning-making pre-bereavement among children with advanced cancer and their parents.
METHODS: As part of a larger study examining shared decision-making near the end-of-life, 24 children with advanced cancer and/or high-risk cancer, 26 mothers, and 11 fathers participated in individual, semi-structured interviews. Analyses focused on questions regarding meaning-making. Four coders analyzed the data via directed content analysis.
RESULTS: Three major meaning-making themes emerged: (1) sense-making (i.e., unknown, no sense/meaning, religious/spiritual explanations, scientific explanations), (2) benefit-finding, and (3) purpose/legacy. Some stated they were unable to make sense of the diagnosis, because there was no reason, they were not there yet, or they were dealing with the situation and moving forward. Others reported finding meaning through spiritual and scientific explanations. Many identified benefits related to the child's illness, such as personal growth and stronger relationships. Some parents expressed their purpose in life was to live for their children, while others shared their child's legacy as a way to find meaning.
CONCLUSIONS: Our findings highlight the struggle children and parents often face when attempting to make sense of the child's advanced or high-risk illness. Clinicians might consider if meaning-centered interventions designed for use in adults at end-of-life and bereaved parents may be helpful for children with advanced or high-risk cancer and their parents.
When parents face a potentially life-limiting fetal diagnosis in pregnancy, they then have a series of decisions to make. These include confirmatory testing, termination, and additional choices if they choose to continue the pregnancy. A perinatal palliative team provides a safe, compassionate, and caring space for parents to process their emotions and discuss their values. In a shared decision-making model, the team explores how a family's faith, experiences, values, and perspectives shape the goals for care. For some families, terminating a pregnancy for any reason conflicts with their faith or values and pursuing life prolonging treatments in order to give their baby the best chances for survival is the most important. For others, having a postnatal confirmatory diagnosis of a life limiting or serious medical condition gives them the assurance they need to allow their child a natural death. Others want care to be comfort-focused in order to maximize the time they have to be together as a family. Through this journey, a perinatal palliative team can provide the support and encouragement for families to express their goals and wishes, as well as find meaning and hope.
PURPOSE: The Norwegian Health Personnel Act (HPA §10a) obliges health professionals to contribute to meeting minor children's need for information about their parents' illness and prognosis. Previous research has shown that many parents withhold information about illness and anticipated death from their children. This study explored main considerations for palliative health-care professionals in these situations, and how they negotiate conflicting considerations of confidentiality and child involvement.
METHOD: This qualitative exploratory study involved semi-structured interviews with 11 palliative health-care professionals. Hermeneutics informed the data analysis.
RESULTS: The health professionals' main considerations were sustaining patients' hope and building trust in the professional-patient relationship. Both concerns were grounded in respect for patient autonomy. The health professionals negotiated patient autonomy and child involvement in different ways, defined in the present analysis on a continuum ranging from granting full patient autonomy to going directly against patients' will.
CONCLUSIONS: The professional-patient relationship is the primary consideration in the health care context, and decision making on the degree of children's involvement happens in a dialogical process between health professionals and patients. Close professional-patient relationships might increase the emotional impacts on health professionals, who consequently might give greater relative weight to patients' will. We propose that procedures for initiating collaboration with professionals in the child's everyday life context help health professionals involving the child without threatening trust.
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and prolonged grief disorder (PGD) are well-documented in parentally bereaved adolescents. Whether or not the parent's death is perceived as traumatic may be influenced by several end-of-life-related factors. This study aimed to examine the associations between end-of-life-related factors, symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), symptoms of prolonged grief disorder and PGD, and the association between PTSD and PGD. Mann-Whitney U tests and Spearman correlation were used to analyze the relationships between end-of-life-related factors, PTSD, and PGD. Regretting one's decision to be present or not present at the time of death resulted in a significant difference in self-reported scores for PTSD, but not PGD.
Although legacy-building is a priority for quality palliative care, research has rarely examined effects of legacy interventions in children, particularly their impact on parent–child communication. We examined the impact of a web-based legacy intervention on parent–child communication. Facebook advertisements were used to recruit families of children (ages 7–17) with relapsed/refractory cancer. Parent–child dyads were randomly assigned to the intervention or usual care group. The intervention website guided children to create digital storyboards over 2 weeks by directing them to answer legacy questions about themselves and upload photographs, videos, and music. Families received a copy of the child’s final digital story. Children and parents completed the Parent–Adolescent Communication Scale pre- (T1) and post-intervention (T2). Linear regressions tested for differences in change from T1 to T2 between the groups controlling for T1 values using an alpha of P<0.05. Intervention effects were measured using Cohen’s d. Ninety-seven parent–child dyads were included for analysis. Changes in parent–child communication were not statistically significantly different between the groups, yet meaningful intervention effects were observed. The strongest effects were observed for improving father–child communication (Cohen’s d = -0.22–0.33). Legacy-making shows promise to facilitate improved parent–child communication, particularly for fathers.
Clinical Trials Registry: Number NCT04059393.
BACKGROUND: Parents with advanced cancer struggle initiating conversations with their children about the cancer. When parents do not have the tools to talk with their children, they silently watch their children attempt to navigate their illness but can only wonder but not know what their children are thinking. The objective of the current study is to describe, from parents living with advanced cancer, the worries and concerns parents wonder their child holds, but has not spoken, about the parent's cancer.
METHODS: Twenty-seven parents with incurable cancer enrolled in a 5 session telephone intervention pilot study during which they were asked, "What questions do you have about what your child is thinking or feeling about the cancer?" Data were transcribed and inductively coded using content analysis methods adapted from grounded theory.
RESULTS: Analysis yielded 14 categories of parent concerns organized into 6 larger conceptual domains: Being Concerned and Scared about My Cancer; Worrying about Me; Changing How We Talk and Live Day-to-Day; Not Knowing What Will Happen; Having Unanswered Questions about My Cancer; and Understanding My Disease Is Terminal.
CONCLUSIONS: Study results add to our understanding of the magnitude of the emotional burden parents with advanced cancer carry as they struggle to balance their diagnosis and treatment and their life as parents.
OBJECTIVE: Parents often feel ill-equipped to prepare their dependent children (<18 years old) for the death of a parent, necessitating support from professionals. The aim of this study is to explore health and social care professionals' (HSCPs) experiences and perceptions of providing supportive care to parents regarding their children, when a parent is dying from cancer.
METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 32 HSCPs, including nurses, allied health professionals, social workers and doctors from specialist or generalist roles, across acute or community sectors.
RESULTS: HSCPs' perceptions of the challenges faced by many families when a parent is dying from cancer included: parental uncertainties surrounding if, when and how to tell the children that their parent was dying, the demands of managing everyday life, and preparing the children for the actual death of their parent. Many HSCPs felt ill-equipped to provide care to parents at end of life concerning their children. The results are discussed under two themes: (1) hurdles to overcome when providing psychological support to parents at end of life and (2) support needs of families for the challenging journey ahead.
CONCLUSIONS: There appears to be a disparity between HSCPs' awareness of the needs of families when a parent is dying and what is provided in practice. HSCPs can have a supportive role and help equip parents, as they prepare their children for the death of their parent. Appropriate training and guideline provision could promote this important aspect of end of life care into practice.
BACKGROUND: Provision of paediatric palliative care is complex and optimally covers meeting the individual needs of a heterogenous population of children and their parent caregivers throughout a life-limiting illness. It is unclear whether existing approaches comprehensively address parent caregivers' needs.
AIM: To examine support needs of parents caring for children with life limiting illnesses and identify specific approaches used to identify and address needs.
DESIGN: A scoping review.
DATA SOURCES: MEDLINE, EMBASE, PsycINFO, CINAHL and ProQuest Central, were searched for peer reviewed English language full text research published from 2008 to 2019. Study quality appraisal was undertaken. Fourteen quantitative, 18 qualitative and 12 mixed methods studies were synthesised and themed using summative content analysis and mapped to the Parent Supportive Care Needs Framework (PSCNF).
RESULTS: Themes were communication, choice, information, practical, social, psychological, emotional and physical. Communication and choice were central and additional to domains of the PSCNF. Unmet were needs for supporting siblings, for respite care, out of hours, psychological, home and educational support. Six articles reported using instruments to identify parent carer support needs.
CONCLUSION: Support needs of parent caregivers of children with life limiting illnesses are substantial and heterogenous. While studies report evidence of burden and distress in parent caregivers, this rarely translates into improvements in practice through the development of interventions. A systematic and regular assessment of individual parent caregiver support needs is required by using instruments appropriate to use in clinical practice to move the focus to palliative care interventions and improved services for parents.
Objective: Explore parents’ point of view about forgoing life sustaining treatment (LST) in terminal critically ill children and factors affecting their decisions.
Method: This was a qualitative study using in-depth interviews with parents whose child died between 6–12 months old in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) of a university-affiliated teaching hospital. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed. Data were analyzed using interpretive description method.
Result: A total of 7 parents of 5 children decided to withhold or withdraw LST. Five parents from 4 children decided to sign the do not attempt resuscitation (DNAR), and none choose to withdrew the LST, including mechanical support. Factors influenced their decision were communication, value of children, child best interest, intuition, religious belief, and emotions. Economic factors did not influence the decision-making.
Conclusion: Most parents decided to sign the DNAR, none choose to withdrew mechanical support. Communication was the most important factor that influenced parents to make a forgoing LST decision.
Preparing for future scenarios in pediatric palliative care is perceived as complex and challenging by both families and healthcare professionals. This interpretative qualitative study using thematic analysis aims to explore how parents and healthcare professionals anticipate the future of the child and family in pediatric palliative care. Single and repeated interviews were undertaken with 42 parents and 35 healthcare professionals of 24 children, receiving palliative care. Anticipating the future was seen in three forms: goal-directed conversations, anticipated care, and guidance on the job. Goal-directed conversations were initiated by either parents or healthcare professionals to ensure others could align with their perspective regarding the future. Anticipated care meant healthcare professionals or parents organized practical care arrangements for future scenarios with or without informing each other. Guidance on the job was a form of short-term anticipation, whereby healthcare professionals guide parents ad hoc through difficult situations.
Conclusion: Anticipating the future of the child and family is mainly focused on achievement of individual care goals of both families and healthcare professionals, practical arrangements in advance, and short-term anticipation when a child deteriorates. A more open approach early in disease trajectories exploring perspectives on the future could allow parents to anticipate more gradually and to integrate their preferences into the care of their child. What is Known: ; Anticipating the future in pediatric palliative care occurs infrequently and too late. What is New: ; Healthcare professionals and parents use different strategies to anticipate the future of children receiving palliative care, both intentionally and unwittingly. Strategies to anticipate the future are goal-directed conversations, anticipated care, and guidance on the job. ; Parents and healthcare professionals are engaged to a limited extent in ongoing explorative conversations that support shared decision-making regarding future care and treatment.
CONTEXT: Although high quality research with patients and family members is needed to improve palliative care, difficulties in recruitment are often reported.
OBJECTIVES: The present article analyses the authors` experiences in recruiting participants of two types of dyads for the study 'Dy@EoL - Interaction at the end of life in dyads of parents and adult children'. Recruitment challenges and factors found to improve recruitment are examined.
METHODS: Between February 2018 and November 2019, the research team cooperated with diverse inpatient and ambulatory palliative and hospice care providers to recruit both dyads. Cooperation strategies and adaptations were protocolled. Data on (non-)participation were recorded and analysed using descriptive statistics.
RESULTS: The recruitment rate was 34.6% (dyad 1, terminally ill adult children with parents: 36.4%; dyad 2, terminally ill parents with adult children: 33.9%). In total, 82.2% of participants were recruited from inpatient settings. The research team has applied various strategies, such as public outreach activities and the extension of recruitment partners. The study protocol was adapted at an early stage to include single participants. Of all patients, 47.7% participated without their dyad partner. The main reason to exclude their family member was the patients' wish to protect them from extra burden.
CONCLUSION: The recruitment was more successful in inpatient than in ambulatory settings. The extension of recruitment partners was beneficial to recruit participants from ambulatory contexts. The inclusion of single participants was conducive as a great number of patients participated without their dyad partner. Sharing the obtained experiences can be helpful for future research planning.
Cet ouvrage rend compte d'un accompagnement pour les parents qui ont perdu un bébé pendant la grossesse ou dans les semaines qui suivent la naissance : « Les groupes de parole de parents endeuillés. » Il s'adresse aux parents et aux professionnels. Il peut être une aide précieuse pour tous ces parents qui vivent une souffrance sans commune mesure avec la mort de leur bébé et aux professionnels qui les rencontrent dans ce temps du deuil périnatal. La conjugaison de la parole, du témoignage des parents et de l'analyse clinique des séances nous indique le traumatisme, la double perte auxquels les parents sont confrontés : la perte de leur enfant et la menace d'une perte du sens de la vie. La situation groupale ainsi que la force de la pensée et de la parole permettent de prendre en compte la complexité de la situation. Ce dispositif met en perspective le cheminement et les ressources des parents au fil des séances.
[Extrait résumé éditeur]
Essentiellement destiné aux sages-femmes, ce guide permet de mieux accompagner la mère, mais aussi le père, dans les premiers temps d'un deuil périnatal puis, ultérieurement, pour une nouvelle grossesse. Il prend en compte la composante traumatique, longtemps négligée dans ce type de deuil.
Cet ouvrage présente des pistes de réflexion et de réponse destinées aux parents pour les aider à aborder avec leur enfant la question du deuil sans tabou ni pathos.
In England, a child death review process must be undertaken when a child dies, regardless of the cause of death. Scotland and Wales have their own version of the child death review process, while it is the author's understanding that Northern Ireland are still developing their process. An important aspect of this process is family engagement and bereavement support. This article is an introduction to the bereavement support standards developed by the National Children's Hospitals Bereavement Network, a newly formed group of specialist children's nurses and allied health professionals interested in bereavement care. These standards translate the statutory requirements into practical guidance for healthcare professionals working in children's hospitals in the UK or district general hospitals that offer services for children and families. They also apply to NHS trusts that care for children and need to develop a local policy and workforce with the appropriate skills to provide bereavement care, thereby improving the experiences of families and healthcare professionals. The standards would also be applicable to other NHS trusts and healthcare services in the UK who want to develop an approach to bereavement care and support for families.
CONTEXT: Caring for a child who will die from a life-limiting illness is one of the most difficult experiences a parent may face. Pediatric palliative care (PPC) has grown as a specialty service to address the unique needs of children and families with serious illness. However, gaps remain between the needs of families in PPC and the support received.
OBJECTIVES: The objective of this study was to explore the concerns of parents who have a child in home-based PPC.
METHODS: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 mothers and 10 fathers from 25 families shortly after their child's referral to home-based PPC. Children (57% male, Mage = 10.5 years, SD = 3.95, range = 4-18 years) had a range of diagnoses. Data were analyzed using inductive content analysis.
RESULTS: Parents' concerns clustered into four main themes: (1) ensuring that their child's remaining days were spent living well physically, emotionally, and socially; (2) uncertainty regarding their child's diagnosis, prognosis, and treatments; (3) their child's death (e.g., the process of dying and when it will occur); and (4) the family, including the impact of the child's illness and death on siblings and wanting to cherish as much time together with family as possible.
CONCLUSION: Parents of children receiving home-based PPC expressed concerns across a range of domains, both about their seriously ill child and the broader family. These results highlight salient worries among parents of children in PPC, and point to critical areas for intervention for seriously ill children and the broader family.
OBJECTIVE: Although stakeholders' participation in healthcare is increasingly recommended, bereaved parents are often excluded for perceived potential risks to them. The objective of this study is to describe the ongoing involvement and the perspectives of bereaved parents engaged in different types of activities in Neonatal Intensive Care Units and providers who work with them.
DESIGN/METHODS: Mixed methods convergent analysis.
SETTING: Canadian paediatric tertiary care university hospital.
PARTICIPANTS: All bereaved members of the resource parents group (n=8) and most providers who work with them (n=16) answered a satisfaction/needs questionnaires.
RESULTS: Since 2011, eight bereaved parents were involved in a large number of activities mostly related to palliative care (research, education or clinical care initiatives). Three engaged in peer-to-peer support activities while the others preferred activities outside of clinical units and/or without direct interactions with other families. All of them reported that their participation had positive impacts, but two parents also reported a reactivation of traumatic experiences during a medical simulation activity. All participants expressed a desire for further collaboration. Motivation to contribute gravitated around two central themes: helping others and helping themselves. Many wanted to give back, help other families, improve the system and meet with providers who had cared for their child. All stated that this kind of involvement empowered them and gave meaning to their experiences. Providers and researchers all reported positive experiences, mainly due to the unique perspectives of bereaved parents who took part in their projects.
CONCLUSIONS: With careful recruitment and supervision, some bereaved parents can become resource parents involved in different types of activities. It is important to understand the positive impacts this type of engagement can have on their healing process and to control the risks related to their participation. Research is needed to develop pertinent tools and measures to evaluate the outcomes and impacts of their participation.
To date, there are no specific figures on the language-related characteristics of families receiving pediatric palliative care. This study aims to gain insights into the languages spoken by parents, their local language skills and the consistency of professional assessments on these aspects. Using an adapted version of the "Common European Framework of Reference for Languages", the languages and local language skills of parents whose children were admitted to an inpatient pediatric palliative care facility (N = 114) were assessed by (a) medical staff and (b) psychosocial staff. Nearly half of the families did not speak the local language as their mother tongue. The most frequently spoken language was Turkish. Overall, the medical staff attributed better language skills to parents than the psychosocial staff did. According to them, only 27.0% of mothers and 38.5% of fathers spoke the local language at a high level while 37.8% of mothers and 34.6% of fathers had no or rudimentary language skills. The results provide important information on which languages pediatric palliative care practitioners must be prepared for. They sensitize to the fact that even within an institution there can be discrepancies between the language assessments of different professions.