Beschreibung:
<jats:sec><jats:title>Background:</jats:title><jats:p> Care relationships are crucial in tailoring the end-of-life care of a person with intellectual disabilities (ID) to their needs. Yet, almost all studies on end-of-life care for people with ID have been conducted among caregivers. The views of people with ID about care relationships at the end of life have not been a specific focus of research. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Aim:</jats:title><jats:p> To explore relevant dimensions of the care relationships in end-of-life care from the perspectives of people with mild ID in the Netherlands. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Design:</jats:title><jats:p> Group interviews were conducted using nominal group technique. Interviews were inductively analysed by two researchers. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Setting/participants:</jats:title><jats:p> Seven groups participated (33 people). Inclusion criteria were as follows: having mild ID, being able to decide about participation and give informed consent, and not receiving end-of-life care. All groups were interviewed twice. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results:</jats:title><jats:p> Two dimensions of care relationships were found: (1) ‘Ascertain, record and honour wishes’ of the ill person. Adequately dealing with care wishes, ‘last wishes’ and funeral wishes was of central importance: ‘it’s about their life’. We found an emphasis on control that seemed to reflect the participants’ experience that respecting autonomy does not always happen. (2) ‘Being there’: Ill people need people who are there for him or her, practically, as well as emotionally, socially and spiritually. Participants placed specific emphasis on providing positive experiences. </jats:p></jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Conclusion:</jats:title><jats:p> The views of people with mild ID highlight the high demands which end-of-life care imposes on relational qualities of caregivers. This study shows the added value and potential of involving people with ID in studies on end-of-life care. </jats:p></jats:sec>