'The experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care: A meta‐synthesis'

Abstract

Introduction: Spirituality is a multidimensional aspect of human experience. In the context of palliative care, it is an individual resource that can be used to cope with illness and to assign new meanings to suffering. Qualitative studies that aim to investigate the experience of spirituality and the needs of family caregivers in this context are rare.Objective: This meta-synthesis aimed to synthesise qualitative studies on the experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care.Methods: A systematic review was performed in six databases, and 14 studies were included in this meta-synthesis. Results:The results are presented as a thematic synthesis divided into two analytical themes: (1) The interweaving of spirituality with end-of-life care and (2) The dimensions of suffering and spirituality in the dying process of the loved one. Each analytical theme is explained by two descriptive themes. The results showed that family caregivers express their spirituality in a multidimensional way, giving meaning to the care provided and reassessing the meanings of their lives and their suffering. Conclusion:Investigating the suffering and spiritual needs of family members in this context may be of value to inform comprehensive and multi-professional psychosocial care.

“You begin to give more value in life, in minutes, in seconds”: spiritual and existential experiences of family caregivers of patients with advanced cancer receiving end-of-life care in Brazil

“…Another study similarly identified this ambivalence in the anticipatory grieving of caregivers [ 6 ]. Our results are also consistent with other research highlighting that family caregivers may experience significant spiritual, existential, and emotional suffering in their journey toward the end of life [ 7 , 9 , 20 ]. We found that caregivers tried to suppress their feelings to demonstrate strength to the patient, but, as in other studies [ 6 , 28 , 30 , 34 ], feelings of loneliness and helplessness were common.…”

“…Double awareness may also be sustained when family caregivers are dealing with the impending death of a patient with advanced cancer. When there is adequate support, caregiving at the end of life can be a transformative and spiritual experience [ 20 ]. However, few studies have drawn attention to the experience of family caregivers providing care to a family member with advanced cancer at the end of life and its connections to spiritual and existential concerns, and there have been no such studies with Brazilian family caregivers.…”

A commentary on Benites et al. (2021) “The experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care: A meta‐synthesis”

“…Third, the findings by Benites et al, (2021) synthetised that caregivers experience spirituality in a way to reach new meaning in life and suffering, constituting simultaneously a transformative experience and an important resource. Spirituality may play this paramount role in life transitions (Martins & Caldeira, 2021).…”

“…We are writing this commentary on the paper 'The experience of spirituality in family caregivers of adult and elderly cancer patients receiving palliative care: A meta-synthesis' (Benites et al, 2021) recently published in European Journal of Cancer Care. This paper reports a meta-synthesis of the experience of spirituality in family caregivers in cancer patients undergoing palliative care.…”

Fatores facilitadores e dificultadores reportados por filhas ao lidarem com a doença e o tratamento oncológico das mães

“…A literatura mostra que os familiares das pacientes também acreditam que a fé e o senso religioso podem levar à cura do câncer de mama. Eles também apoiam a crença da mulher em uma Força Superior que comanda a harmonia do universo, um Criador misericordioso que personifica a bondade, o que faz com que também acabem se utilizando dessa fonte como recurso para se fortalecerem frente aos seus próprios sentimentos de desamparo (Araújo & Nascimento, 2004;Benites et al, 2021).…”