Table 3.

Analytical and descriptive themes

1. Family-related reasons (not) to make a request for EAS: Fear of suffering as witnessed previously in other family members ▪ Family beliefs and dynamics ▪ Importance of maintaining meaningful bonds ▪ Feeling of being a burden ▪ Quantitative research among physicians: other reasons more important

2. Roles and responsibilities of family members during EAS decision-making and performance: Social network involved in decision-making and performance ▪ Sounding board for patient and physician ▪ Caregiving, representing, advocating ▪ Negotiating the date of performance ▪ Proxy-decision making: children, patients with dementia

3. Families’ experiences and grief process after euthanasia and assisted suicide: Ambivalence, exhaustion, difficulty of choosing a date of performance ▪ Varying experiences related to the interaction with physicians ▪ Mainly positive evaluations afterwards ▪ Complicated grief after a complicated process

4: Family and the ‘good euthanasia death’ according to Dutch physicians: Physicians’ experiences with EAS and family involvement ▪ Taking care of the family as a task ▪ Family support or agreement as additional criterion for EAS ▪ Reluctance to consider social indications for EAS ▪ The general public’s opinion on family’s involvement in EAS