Navigating life when a loved one's (euthanasia) death is near: A narrative interview study from the Netherlands.

ABSTRACT: In this article, we describe our empirical research that started out as an exploration of "family involvement" in the Dutch practice of euthanasia, in the broader context of end-of-life decision-making and care under guidance of GPs in the home-setting. Informed by care-ethical insights and narrative approaches to qualitative research, we performed an in-depth interview study with 18 close relatives of people with incurable metastasized cancer (9 prospective, 9 retrospective). We came to understand how relatives' involvement-not only in euthanasia but in any mode of dying-cannot be separated from relatives' efforts to navigate through many dimensions of life when the death of loved one is near. Relatives have to navigate different spaces, decision-dynamics and the unfolding of professional

SUBMITTER: Roest B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12316235 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature