“Death Lay Here on the Sofa”: Reflections of Young Adults on Their Experience as Caregivers of Parents Who Died of Cancer at Home

Abstract

The prevalence of terminally ill patients, who die at home, is increasing. The aim of this study was to address the meaning of being young adults, who were the caregivers of their dying parents. In-depth, semistructured interviews were conducted with 14 Israeli Jewish young adults, who had been the primary caregivers for parents who had cancer and eventually died at home. Three themes emerged: (a) “I was Chosen and was led into that situation”: modes of taking on and performing the role of a caregiver, (b) “My life was on hold”: the experience of performing the caregiving role, and (c) “I underwent . . . the real school of life”: caring for the dying parent as an imprint on self-development. Participants integrated compassionate caring into their identity, reflecting an empowering encounter of young carers with their dying parents as a process of growth in the face of harsh, stressful experiences.