Older Adults’ Experience of Meaning at the End of Life in Two Danish Hospices: A Qualitative Interview Study

Author:

Viftrup Dorte Toudal,Prinds Christina,Nissen Ricko Damberg,Steenfeldt Vibeke Østergaard,Søndergaard Jens,Hvidt Niels Christian

Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore how older adults (aged > 65) confronted with imminent death express their thoughts and feelings about death and dying and verbalize meaning. Furthermore, the aim was to investigate how health professionals could better address the needs of this patient group to experience meaning at the end of life. The study applied a qualitative method, involving semi-structured interviews with 10 participants at two hospices. The method of analysis was interpretative phenomenological analysis. We found three chronological time-based themes: (1) Approaching Death, (2) The time before dying, and (3) The afterlife. The participants displayed scarce existential vernacular for pursuing meaning with approaching death. They primarily applied understanding and vocabulary from a medical paradigm. The participants’ descriptions of how they experienced and pursued meaning in the time before dying were also predominantly characterized by medical vernacular, but these descriptions did include a few existential words and understandings. When expressing thoughts and meaning about the afterlife, participants initiated a two-way dialogue with the interviewer and primarily used existential vernacular. This indicates that the participants’ scarce existential vernacular to talk about meaning might be because people are not used to talking with healthcare professionals about meaning or their thoughts and feelings about death. They are mostly “trained” in medical vernacular. We found that participants’ use of, respectively, medical or existential vernacular affected how they experienced meaning and hope at the end of life. We encourage healthcare professionals to enter into existential dialogues with people to support and strengthen their experiences of meaning and hope at the end of life.

Funder

Jascha Fonden

Helsefonden

Publisher

Frontiers Media SA

Subject

General Psychology

Reference65 articles.

1. Individualisering og aftraditionalisering af danskernes religiøse værdier;Andersen;Små og Store forandringer Danskernes værdier siden 1981,2011

2. Kap. 12 Interpretative fænomenologisk analyse (IPA);Assing Hvidt;Kvalitative Analysemetoder i Sundhedsforskning,2018

3. ‘We are the barriers’: danish general practitioners’ interpretations of why the existential and spiritual dimensions are neglected in patient care.;Assing Hvidt;Comun. Med.,2016

4. Danske patienter intensiverer eksistentielle tanker og religiøst liv.;Ausker;Videnskab og Praksis,2008

5. Hope in hospitalized patients with terminal cancer.;Baczewska;Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health,2019

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3