Experiences of Bereaved Family Members Receiving Commemorative Paintings

Abstract

Key Points Question What potential role do personalized paintings that are created to honor the lives of deceased patients in the intensive care unit have for grieving family members, and how might they influence family members’ experiences with bereavement? Findings In this qualitative study, families described personalized paintings as representing a legacy of their loved one. Participants indicated that the paintings were symbolic of the care their loved one received, validated the sentiment that the patient was remembered, and helped the families feel less alone during their time of grief. Meaning The creation of personalized patient paintings may foster postmortem connections between family members and clinicians and may ease bereavement following a death in the intensive care unit setting.

Interventions for Grieving and Bereaved Informal Caregivers: A Scoping Review of the Canadian Literature

“…Following full text review, 18 articles were selected for inclusion. [18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35] Figure 2 displays the organization of themes and subthemes which were finalized after completion of the extraction table. The three main themes that emerged from this process were: (I) Classification of the intervention, (II) Format of the intervention, and (III) Intervention target.…”

“…In total, thirty-nine percent (7/18) of articles described creative interventions. 19,21,[23][24][25]29,35 This included art therapy, 19,25,29 music therapy, 23,24,35 and written interventions. 21 Art Therapy…”

“…Seventy-seven percent (14/18) of articles specified a particular delivery channel for the intervention described. 18,19,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29]31,32,35 This included interventions that were delivered over the phone, the Internet, and in-person.…”

“…Fifty percent (9/18) of articles described interventions to be delivered in-person. 19,[21][22][23][24][25][26]29,35 This included many creative interventions, that might not conveniently lend themselves to remote delivery (eg, music or art therapy). 21,23,24,29,35 Online.…”

“…27 Setting Sixty-one percent (11/18) specified a particular setting for delivery of the intervention. 19,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27]29,32,35 These were divided somewhat evenly between the care setting and the home.…”