Farewell Letters II: Terminal Care for a Healthy Man. Or: Dancing the Last Waltz

Abstract

This qualitative case study describes the end-of-life care for a physically healthy, although psychologically dying man. The letters of Countess Moltke to her husband who was sentenced to death and executed during the Nazi regime were analyzed content analytically. Three content clusters emerged, namely, Caring, Comforting, and Providing meaning, all of which were stimulated by Attachment to the dying person and by Expression of empathy, respectively. It is demonstrated that during the final 6 weeks, her care was well adapted to the course of his dying. The findings are summarized by the allegory of the dancing couple.