• Annie Pettifer and Sean Hughes.
• University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.
• Palliat Med. 2023 May 1; 37 (5): 782792782-792.

BackgroundThe optimal management of diminishing drinking at the end of life is contentious. Clinicians and family members may understand the phenomenon differently and hold divergent priorities regarding care. Family members can be distressed by diminishing drinking and its management, particularly when in a hospital environment.AimTo explore the experiences of family members when witnessing the diminishing drinking of a dying relative.DesignA narrative inquiry methodology, derived from pragmatism.Setting And ParticipantsThirteen recently bereaved family members were recruited through the bereavement services of three UK hospitals. Inclusion criteria included having an adult relative who died in hospital of any diagnosis more than 48 hours from admission and who had had noticeable diminishing drinking.FindingsParticipants experienced diminishing drinking as an unfolding process that was part of overall decline. They all believed it to be detrimental. Three groups of responses were identified: promoting, accepting and ameliorating. Supportive measures included offering equipment to support drinking, staff being present and communicating about expectations and care management aims.ConclusionsThere is potential to improve family members' experiences through re-conceptualisation of diminishing drinking aligned to their experiences, supporting family members by listening to their experiences with insight and strengthening their agency within the management of their relatives with diminishing drinking.

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