You are encouraged to attend the defence. The details of the defence and attendance information is included below:  

Date: April 10, 2025
Time: 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (PT)

Defence mode: Hybrid
In-Person Attendance: Small Lecture Theatre Agora (7-150)
Virtual Attendance: via Zoom 

LINK TO JOIN: Please contact the Office of Graduate Administration for information regarding remote attendance for online defences. 

To ensure the defence proceeds with no interruptions, please mute your audio and video on entry and do not inadvertently share your screen. The meeting will be locked to entry 5 minutes after it begins: please ensure you are on time.  

Thesis entitled: BEREAVED CAREGIVERS’ EXPERIENCES WITH A HOME HOSPICE PROGRAM

Abstract: With aging populations and rising chronic illness rates, the need for palliative and end-of-life care is growing. Informal caregivers play a vital role to enable provision of holistic, patient-centered home hospice supports in familiar surroundings for individuals to die at home. The experiences of informal caregivers impact the quality of life and death of individuals to die at home and impact the effectiveness of hospice programs. However, the unique challenges and needs of these informal caregivers remain underexplored. This study describes the experiences of bereaved informal caregivers who participated in the Home Hospice program provided by the Prince George Hospice Palliative Care Society (PGHPCS) in a northern Canadian community. The research aims to identify informal caregivers’ unique needs, challenges, and perceptions of the program while uncovering gaps in support and service delivery. A review of existing literature highlights significant gaps, including the lack of Canadian-specific research, particularly in rural and underserved regions, practical communication guides for end-of-life discussions, and culturally and religiously tailored interventions. This study employs a descriptive qualitative design using secondary, de-identified interview data collected during the evaluation of the Home Hospice program by the Centre for Technology Adoption for Aging in the North (CTAAN). Thematic analysis, guided by Braun and Clarke’s framework, was used to analyze informal caregivers’ narratives. The findings highlight informal caregivers’ experiences with home hospice, including their preference for receiving care at home, the emotional fulfillment of honoring loved ones’ wishes, the holistic and compassionate support they received, the meaningful relationships formed with staff, and the need for earlier awareness and referral to hospice care. The findings provide critical insights into improving caregiver support and enhancing home hospice care in northern communities by addressing service gaps and focusing on informal caregivers' unique experiences.

Defence Committee:  
Chair: Dr. Tammy Klassen-Ross
Supervisor: Dr. Shannon Freeman
Committee Member: Dr. Aderonke Agboji
Committee Member: Dr. Davina Banner-Lukaris
Committee Member: Dr. Donna Flood
External Examiner: Dr. Christopher Klinger