Anticipatory Grief Among Family Caregivers of Cancer Patients in Home Palliative Care: A Constructivist Grounded Theory

Background/Objectives: Anticipatory grief is a significant phenomenon in the experience of family caregivers of individuals receiving palliative care (PC) at home, representing a complex emotional response to impending loss. Nevertheless, there is scarce research supporting an in-depth, context-sensitive understanding of caregivers’ lived experiences in home settings. This study aims to develop a grounded theory that explains how family caregivers of individuals receiving PC at home experience anticipatory grief. Methods: This qualitative study used a constructivist grounded theory approach. Fifteen family caregivers of cancer patients receiving PC were recruited from two Portuguese-specialized palliative care teams. Data collection took place from January to April 2026 through semi-structured, in-depth interviews. Participants were purposively sampled to ensure variation in experiences. All interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis was conducted in line with grounded theory, using the constant comparative method. Theoretical saturation was achieved after 15 interviews. The COREQ checklist was followed. Results: A theory was built around the core category “(Re)constructing meanings in the face of imminent loss in the context of palliative caregiving”, from which three categories emerged: (1) between presence and loss: life on hold; (2) challenges in the caregiving relationship; and (3) assigning meaning and purpose to the anticipation of death. Conclusions: Overall, the findings conceptualize anticipatory grief as a dynamic and evolving process of meaning reconstruction, offering a theoretical framework to inform more nuanced and context-sensitive support for family caregivers.