Family's experience of memory making in adult intensive care and its use in early bereavement: A descriptive qualitative study

Aim and objectives: To explore the family's experience being offered memory making during end-of-life care in the adult intensive care unit and its use in early bereavement.

Background: Family members of individuals who develop a critical illness requiring emergency hospitalisation are unlikely to be prepared for a possible death. This places them at increased risk of poorer bereavement experiences. One potential intervention is memory making, which is an act that provides tangible objects such as a handprint, footprint, lock of hair, or teddy bear, that allows connections with and provides meaningful memories about a person. Families in the adult acute population reportedly have positive reactions regarding the objects, but it is unknown the object's effects on early bereavement experiences.

Design: Descriptive qualitative study utilising inductive reflexive thematic analysis. Reporting adheres to the COREQ checklist.

Methods: Between May 2019-December 2020, a purposeful, convenience sample of 21 participants from a tertiary referral, adult intensive care unit in Australia were recruited to explore their experiences being offered memory making during end-of-life care and the objects use in early bereavement. Interviews were conducted using a semi-structured format and occurred at the participants' location of choice.

Results: Data analysis generated three themes: guidance during end of life by healthcare professionals that recognises the autonomy of the family; object used as a trigger to access memories; and storage and preservation of the object as an indication of its sentimental value and use in early bereavement CONCLUSION: Memory making objects such as handprints, locks of hair, or teddy bears received in the adult intensive care unit were valued and utilised during early bereavement by most recipients.

Relevance to clinical practice: Findings inform practice evidence gaps regarding the family's experiences of memory making received as a bereavement intervention in the adult acute population.

Patient or public contribution: Participants contributed through sharing their first-hand experiences of receiving memory making in the adult intensive care unit.