{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,15]],"date-time":"2026-10-15T01:25:08Z","timestamp":1792027508402,"version":"4.4.0"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"9","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,8]],"date-time":"2025-09-08T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1757289600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nursing Reports"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Informal caregivers play an important role in the palliative care of terminally ill family members at home. However, they often lack sufficient professional support, particularly in coping with emotional, spiritual, and practical challenges. This study aimed to explore caregivers\u2019 experiences of providing care to a terminally ill family member at home. Methods: A qualitative approach was used to collect information from informal caregivers. Data were collected through interviews, and thematic analysis was used to identify the main challenges, coping mechanisms, and perceptions related to palliative care. Results: The study resulted in three themes: Involvement of professionals; The reality and dignity of death, and Life after death. Caregivers often associate palliative care exclusively with the last days of life, leading to delayed involvement of the mobile palliative care team. They stated that they preferred home care to hospital care and associated this with more positive experiences at the end of life. However, many reported feelings of loneliness and emotional distress, indicating a lack of appropriate psychological support. Spiritual care is often confused with religious practices, indicating a need for further education. Conclusions: The early involvement of mobile palliative care teams improves coping, facilitates a more humane dying process at home, and can reduce the emotional burden on caregivers.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nursrep15090327","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,9]],"date-time":"2025-09-09T12:15:17Z","timestamp":1757420117000},"page":"327","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Emotional and Spiritual Challenges of Informal Caregivers: The Need for Early Mobile Palliative Care Support"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-5305-5257","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Samir","family":"Husic","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Palliative Care, Health Centre of Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8787-9550","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Bojan","family":"Miletic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Clinical Medical Sciences, Faculty of Health Studies, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8241-0550","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Tamara","family":"Stemberger Kolnik","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Postgraduate Studies, Faculty of Health Sciences, 3000 Celje, Slovenia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Vedrana","family":"Vejzovic","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Care Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malm\u00f6 University, 21109 Malm\u00f6, Sweden"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,9,8]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"(2025, July 22). 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