Person-Centred Palliative Home Care From a Patient and Family Carer Perspective – A Qualitative Interpretive Meta Synthesis

With an ageing population and increasing chronic illness, the need for palliative care is growing. Most people prefer to be cared for at home when possible, making it essential to understand the experiences of patients and families receiving care at home to ensure it aligns with their needs. This study aims, therefore, to synthesise the literature regarding patients’ and family carers’ experiences of palliative care at home. This systematic review employed the 6S model as an analytical lens, with an abductive approach to the interpretive qualitative meta-synthesis. A total of 6,080 unique citations were yielded by searches conducted in PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycInfo and Scopus. The synthesis included a total of 19 studies, of which 9 explored patient experiences, and 10 addressed both patients’ and family carers’ perspectives on palliative care at home. Three interconnected enablers were identified: accessible palliative care, trusting relationships, and maintaining everyday life at home. These demonstrate how palliative care can help patients and family carers feel safe and supported at home by ensuring accessible care through reliable professional support, promoting trusting relationships grounded in collaboration and open dialogue, and helping patients and family carers maintain everyday life through empowerment and person-centred care.