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Exploring the hidden before the end: A phenomenological analysis of forgiveness at the end of life among spiritual caregivers.

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Title: Exploring the hidden before the end: A phenomenological analysis of forgiveness at the end of life among spiritual caregivers.
Authors: Rossy Parés, Claudia (AUTHOR), van Poecke, Niels (AUTHOR), Fernández-Capo, Maria (AUTHOR), Crespo, Iris (AUTHOR), Scherer-Rath, Michael (AUTHOR), van Laarhoven, Hanneke W. M. (AUTHOR)
Source: Palliative Medicine. Jul2026, Vol. 40 Issue 7, p1000-1016. 17p.
Subjects: Forgiveness, Palliative treatment, Qualitative research, Interviewing, Judgment sampling, Descriptive statistics, Thematic analysis, Sound recordings, Spirituality, Research methodology, Communication, Psychology of caregivers, Phenomenology, Caregiver attitudes, Christianity, Health care teams
Geographic Terms: Netherlands
Abstract: Background: While forgiveness is linked to emotional and physical benefits at the end of life, little is known about how it is understood or addressed by palliative care professionals. Spiritual caregivers, especially in the Netherlands where formal training is growing, may be well-placed to support such conversations, yet their experiences remain underexplored. Aim: To explore how Dutch spiritual caregivers perceive and engage with forgiveness at the end of life, including their potential role in facilitating it. Design: This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis. In-person, semi-structured interviews were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Setting/Participants: Eleven interviews were conducted with spiritual caregivers from various hospitals across the Netherlands. Interviews took place in hospitals (n = 6), caregivers' homes (n = 2), via Zoom (n = 2), and by phone (n = 1). Due to conceptual differences related to religious and existential backgrounds, nine interviews were finally selected, focusing on the Christian (Catholic n = 4, Protestant n = 4) and non-affiliated (n = 1) ones. Results: Four main themes emerged: (1) concept of forgiveness according to spiritual caregivers; (2) forgiveness as a theme in the conversation between spiritual caregivers and patients, (3) barriers to talking about forgiveness, and (4) the role of spiritual caregivers in addressing forgiveness. Conclusion: Spiritual caregivers acknowledged forgiveness as beneficial but noted challenges—logistical, cultural, and personal—that make direct conversations difficult. As a result, they often adopt a subtle, indirect approach, using rituals and attentive listening to address forgiveness with patients nearing the end of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Palliative Medicine is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
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  Data: Exploring the hidden before the end: A phenomenological analysis of forgiveness at the end of life among spiritual caregivers.
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  Data: Background: While forgiveness is linked to emotional and physical benefits at the end of life, little is known about how it is understood or addressed by palliative care professionals. Spiritual caregivers, especially in the Netherlands where formal training is growing, may be well-placed to support such conversations, yet their experiences remain underexplored. Aim: To explore how Dutch spiritual caregivers perceive and engage with forgiveness at the end of life, including their potential role in facilitating it. Design: This qualitative study used interpretative phenomenological analysis. In-person, semi-structured interviews were analyzed through reflexive thematic analysis. Setting/Participants: Eleven interviews were conducted with spiritual caregivers from various hospitals across the Netherlands. Interviews took place in hospitals (n = 6), caregivers' homes (n = 2), via Zoom (n = 2), and by phone (n = 1). Due to conceptual differences related to religious and existential backgrounds, nine interviews were finally selected, focusing on the Christian (Catholic n = 4, Protestant n = 4) and non-affiliated (n = 1) ones. Results: Four main themes emerged: (1) concept of forgiveness according to spiritual caregivers; (2) forgiveness as a theme in the conversation between spiritual caregivers and patients, (3) barriers to talking about forgiveness, and (4) the role of spiritual caregivers in addressing forgiveness. Conclusion: Spiritual caregivers acknowledged forgiveness as beneficial but noted challenges—logistical, cultural, and personal—that make direct conversations difficult. As a result, they often adopt a subtle, indirect approach, using rituals and attentive listening to address forgiveness with patients nearing the end of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Palliative Medicine is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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        Value: 10.1177/02692163261431175
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 17
        StartPage: 1000
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Forgiveness
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Palliative treatment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Qualitative research
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      – SubjectFull: Sound recordings
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      – SubjectFull: Spirituality
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      – SubjectFull: Psychology of caregivers
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              Text: Jul2026
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