The Childhood Cancer Centre Is Coming Home: Experiences of Hospital-Based Home Care

Abstract

Today, there is a shift towards care being given closer to the patient, with more children receiving care in their homes. Care at home has proven to be a viable alternative to hospital care, as shown by a project for hospital-based home care conducted in West Sweden. The aim of this study was to describe how children with cancer and parents experienced receiving care at home. After purposive sampling, six children with cancer aged 6–16 and eight parents participated. Semistructured interviews were performed, and the data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Four main categories emerged: save time and energy in the family; maintain everyday life; feel trust in the healthcare professionals; mixed feelings about getting treatment at home. This hospital-based home care project created good conditions for both children with cancer and their parents to feel secure. In addition, home care can be very child-centric, whereby the caregivers involve the children by taking their thoughts and utterances into account.