Background: Aging and chronic illness increase demand for home-based end-of-life care, yet in Japan interdisciplinary collaboration for a good death remains underexplored as structure and cultural practice. This study aimed to clarify cultural norms embodied in interdisciplinary collaboration supporting a “good death” for clients receiving home-based end-of-life care. Methods: A micro-ethnographic design based on Roper and Shapira’s framework was applied. Data came from fieldwork and interviews with 15 team members caring for three home-based end-stage clients. Results: Twelve embedded themes were identified across four culturally symbolic care phases. 1) Relational grounding: person-centered team formation and value recognition; family alignment and consensus building. 2) Cultural integration: living well in the present with anticipatory care; family-centered support and shared responsibility; resource use and professional collaboration. 3) Consensus and closure: individualized symptom relief and end-of-life education; shared decision-making and value-based care; family-centering of anticipatory grief care; preserving everyday life and personal identity; reflective team practices and rituals of closure. 4) Relational continuity: legacy recognition and affirmation of end-of-life experiences; grief support and professional reflection. Conclusions: Interdisciplinary collaboration enabling a good death harmonized with daily life, reflected individual life quality, and formed cultural community where clients and families shared concerns, learned, and lived together.
Wada et al. (2026) studied this question.