*3.3. Participants*

All hospice staff, 14 nurses, 2 elderly care physicians and 1 spiritual counsellor, participated in the observational part of the study. Because the study focused on healthcare professionals, the hospice volunteers were not part of the study population. Four nurses served as key informants during observations. The number of patients participating in the study differed during the course of observations. Patients were eligible to participate if they were able and willing to provide verbal or written informed consent. About half the population of hospice patients was unable to meet this criterion. In total, ten patients and their relatives participated in the observational part of the study. In addition to the observations, five nurses, one physician, two patients and one relative participated in semi-structured interviews.
