Families in Supportive Care — Part I: The Transition of Fading Away: The Nature of the Transition

The entire family unit is affected when one of its members is in need of supportive care; however, relatively few studies pertaining to palliative care have focused on the family as a unit. The purpose of this study was to examine the experience of families having a member with advanced cancer who was receiving palliative care either at home or in the hospital. Eight families (24 family members) participated in semi-structured interviews which were audiotaped, transcribed, and subjected to qualitative methods of analysis. Results indicated that the families’ experience can be conceptualized as a transition of fading away. The transition began with an ending, characterized by the processes of redefining and dealing with burden. A period of chaos, confusion, fear, and uncertainty characterized the neutral zone. The end point of the transition was a new beginning where families focused on living day-to-day and preparing for death.