Family Responses to Declining Intake and Weight Loss in a Terminally Ill Relative. Part 1: Fighting Back

We recently completed a grounded theory study examining nutritional care experiences in advanced cancer from the perspective of patients (n=13), families (n=23), and health care providers (n=11) (1). That work generated important information about adult family members’ perceptions and behaviour regarding the nutritional care their terminally ill adult relative received while hospitalized on an inpatient palliative care unit. An overview of the inductively derived model that emerged from that work has been reported elsewhere (2). This article provides a more detailed description of one of the major sub-processes of the model regarding family member responses to declining oral intake and weight loss in a terminally ill relative—the sub-process of “fighting back: it's best to eat.” The strategies family members use when fighting back, and the consequences of these strategies for patients, family members, and health care providers are reported. Implications for practice and research are provided.