The purpose of the study was to find out which elements according to relatives’ conceptions could be considered essential for elderly patients’ good quality of life in a palliative context and to discern the most important and valuable characteristics of good palliative care. Nine relatives were theme interviewed 1 year after the patients’ deaths. The recorded tapes were analyzed by the phenomenographic method. The conceptions describing the elements needed for good quality of patients’ lives in the palliative context were categorized into three horizontal categories: way of living, dignity, and professional palliative care. Although quality of life is a complex concept and difficult to analyze, the opinions of the relatives of patients bring some relevant aspects to this discussion. Our results emphasize the importance of family in assessing and improving care in the palliative context.
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