Observational Study of Family Behaviors during the Terminal Palliative Phase

Supporting those around a patient suffering from a serious, progressive, or terminal illness is a legal obligation (Law 99 Art. L. 1(er) B) and requires professionals informed about specific mechanisms. Main objective: discover the family psycho-adaptive mechanisms during the terminal phase. Methods: The method is qualitative from a participant observation in a palliative care inpatient service between January 2016 and January 2020. Results: observation of 649 families reveal specific distresses, a relationship that is both caring and fusional, and a negative pact. family communication about dying is deleterious. Conclusion: it's essential to adapt palliative care to the functioning of family, the cradle of the psychic life.