The Meaning of Support as Narrated by Family Carers Who Care for a Senior Relative at Home

The authors’ aim in this study is to illuminate the meaning of support as narrated by family members who care for a senior relative at home. This study originates from a context of advanced in-home palliative care in Sweden. Twenty individuals who cared for a senior relative at home participated. Narrative interviews resulted in a text, which the authors analyzed in three recurring phases, naive understanding, structural analyses, and comprehensive understanding, using a phenomenological hermeneutical method. They formulated two themes from the analysis: Experiencing a togetherness with others in caring and Sensing togetherness with oneself in caring. The meaning of support was understood here as Sensing togetherness. In the comprehensive understanding, the authors further illuminate this meaning using literature on the concepts of friendship, inner strength, and manageability through the sense of coherence theory. They provide suggestions for relevance to practice and further research.