Roseanne Camilleri, hospice nurse, completed her dissertation for the Masters of Science in Nursing (Palliative Care) with Distinction. The abstract derived from this dissertation was presented and accepted for poster presentation at the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) Congress, ranking among the top twenty from over one thousand submissions. Consequently, she presented the study during the EAPC Congress 2026 held in Prague, Czech Republic, between the 14th and 16th of May, while the accompanying poster remained on display throughout the duration of the congress.

During this incredibly enriching experience Roseanne presented the following;

This study explores the lived experiences of informal caregivers supporting loved ones who died at home in Malta, while receiving community palliative care services. While home death is often positioned as the preferred place of death, less attention is given to the realities faced by those providing care and what can be done to improve them to make home deaths more feasible for who so wishes.

Using an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach, the study examines how caregivers make sense of their experiences, drawing on Antonovsky’s Sense of Coherence framework to understand how they perceive, manage, and find meaning in caregiving.

Findings highlight a complex and deeply ambivalent experience. On one hand, caregivers described home as a space of intimacy, dignity, and fulfilment, where they could honour the wishes of their loved ones. On the other hand, this was often accompanied by emotional strain, uncertainty, and feelings of being unprepared, particularly in relation to symptom management and the responsibilities placed upon them, usually quite suddenly – from one appointment to the next.

A key insight is that caregivers’ ability to cope was closely linked to the extent to which they experienced caregiving as comprehensible, manageable, and meaningful. Where these elements were supported, particularly through professional guidance and continuity of care, caregivers reported a more positive experience.

The study underscores the need to move beyond idealised notions of home death, and instead recognise and support the critical role of informal caregivers within palliative care systems.

Click here to read the abstract that was published in the Congress Book!