A thematic analysis of family-centred practice in palliative care : insights for occupational therapy practice

Introduction: Families play a significant role in caring for a loved one with a terminal diagnosis. While, occupational therapists recognise the value of family involvement in patient care at the end of life, what constitutes family centred practice is not well defined. Additionally, there is no evidence to guide practice with families within a palliative care setting from an occupational perspective. Aim: This study aimed to (i) investigate what constitutes family-centred practice in palliative care; and (ii) how therapists implement family-centred practice in palliative care occupational therapy. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted through a variety of electronic databases. Relevant literature was then descriptively analysed, prior to common themes within the literature being thematically analysed. Finally, themes were then developed pictorially into a thematic network map. Results: Analysis of 15 articles revealed the overarching theme of “families are the key ingredient to family-centred practice”. This overarching theme comprised of two subthemes: (i) The health professional’s role in facilitating family involvement and (ii) Family experiences of family-centred practice in palliative care. These findings discuss the core constituents of family centred-practice, and highlight the influential role an occupational therapist can have in contributing to a family’s positive or negative experience of family-centred practice. Conclusion: This study is the first to explore what constitutes family-centred practice in palliative care and provides a number of practical recommendations for occupational therapists working in this setting. Further research is required to determine whether the findings match current occupational therapy practice