Background: Communication is present in all encounters in care and of importance to create a caring relation. A good relation between patients, next of kin and health care staff is crucial, not least in times of rapid changes in health and when questions about life and death are at stake such as in palliative care.

Aims: The aim of this study was to illuminate communication and its meaning in unexpected sudden death with stroke as example, as experienced by next of kin and stroke team members.

Methods: The design of the study is a secondary analysis of qualitative data as proposed by Heaton, from a project on unexpected sudden death by stroke. Material from four interview studies from the project with all in all twelve next of kin of patients who had died due to the acute stroke during hospital stay and twenty-seven stroke team members from stroke units were utilized. Data were analysed with qualitative content analysis according to Krippendorf and Baxter.

Results: The analysis reveals communication as the foundation for care and caring. The overarching theme foundation for dignified encounters in care is built up by six themes illuminating the meaning of communication in unexpected sudden death by stroke; creating relationship, information enabling understanding, giving ground for unanimity, personalizing the patient, preconditioning for decisions and giving and experiencing support.

Conclusions: Communication and its meaning in unexpected sudden death as experienced by next of kin and stroke team members enables dignified encounters in care. Through the next of kin knowledge about the severely ill patient, possibility to preserve and uphold absolute dignity and dignity of identity is given, expressed through respect for the patient's will and desire and derived through talks between carers andnext of kin. Communication is one key to create dignified encounters inpalliative care when unexpected sudden death occurs. It gives ground for unanimity about care and possibility to maintain and uphold dignity incare when acknowledging the next of kin familiarity with the patient.This gives ground for a person centeredness in palliative care despite the patients sever illness.