Experiences of Adult Sibling Relationships When Caring for a Parent With a Life‐Threatening Illness and in Bereavement: A Qualitative Study

Little is known about the ways in which experiences of caring for a parent approaching the end of life shape adult sibling relationships before and after a death. Drawing on bereaved adult offsprings’ retrospective accounts, this article explores the relational challenges that accompany negotiating care and navigating loss. A mix of random and purposive sampling was used to recruit participants whose family members had died whilst receiving palliative or residential aged care provided by a nongovernment organisation located in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. In‐depth interviews were conducted with seventeen participants, and ten of those participants also completed solicited diaries. Data collection and analysis were guided by a constructivist grounded theory approach. Results revealed diverse experiences of sibling relationships, including collaboration and strengthening of connections, and relational tensions leading to estrangement. These findings highlight how experiences of caring‐in‐anticipation of dying shape sibling relationships in bereavement and may offer insights for pre‐ and post‐death family support and intervention.