title: Inner power, physical strength and existential well-being in daily life: relatives' experiences of receiving soft tissue massage in palliative home care.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This article explores relatives' experiences of receiving soft tissue massage as a support supplement while caring for a dying family member at home.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In palliative home care, relatives play an important role as carers to seriously ill and dying family members. To improve their quality of life, different support strategies are of importance. Complementary methods, such as soft tissue massage have become an appreciated supplement for these patients. However, only few studies focus on relatives experiences of receiving soft tissue massage as a supplemental support.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative design
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen relatives received soft tissue massage (hand or foot) nine times (25 minutes) in their homes. Open-ended semi-structured tape-recorded interviews were conducted once per relative after the nine times of massage, using qualitative content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Soft tissue massage gave the relatives' feelings of 'being cared for', 'body vitality' and 'peace of mind'. For a while, they put worries of daily life aside as they just experienced 'being'. During massage, it became apparent that body and mind is constituted of an indestructible completeness. The overarching theme was 'inner power, physical strength and existential well-being in their daily lives'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  All relatives experienced soft tissue massage positively, although they were under considerable stress. Soft tissue massage could be an option to comfort and support relatives in palliative home care.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In palliative nursing care, soft tissue massage could present a worthy supplement in supporting caring relatives.
authors: Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. berit.cronfalk@ki.se
authors: Berit Seiger
authors: BS
authors: Cronfalk
authors: Peter
authors: P
authors: Strang
authors: Britt-Marie
authors: BM
authors: Ternestedt
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001294:Attitude to Health; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D005086:Existentialism / Q000523:psychology; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008405:Massage / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology; D011209:Power, Psychological; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden