Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Family Caregivers’ Preparations for Death: A Qualitative Analysis

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Breen, Lauren
    Aoun, Samar
    O'Connor, Moira
    Howting, D.
    Halkett, Georgia
    Date
    2018
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Breen, L. and Aoun, S. and O'Connor, M. and Howting, D. and Halkett, G. 2018. Family Caregivers’ Preparations for Death: A Qualitative Analysis. Journal of Pain and Symptom Management.
    Source Title
    Journal of Pain and Symptom Management
    DOI
    10.1016/j.jpainsymman.2018.02.018
    ISSN
    0885-3924
    School
    School of Psychology
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/68130
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    © 2018 American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine Context: Many family caregivers are not prepared for the death of their family member or friend. Palliative care services tend to emphasize the patients' preparation for death rather than caregivers' preparation for, or living after, death. Caregivers’ perspectives on anticipating and preparing for death are under-researched, despite preparation being associated with better bereavement outcomes. Objectives: The objective was to explore family caregivers’ preparations for death. Methods: A total of 16 family caregivers of people in receipt of palliative care participated in semi-structured, face-to-face interviews. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using grounded theory techniques. Results: Analysis yielded two overarching themes: Here and Now centered on the caregivers’ focus on the multidimensional and all-consuming nature of caregiving for someone who is near death. Negotiating the Here/After described the tension the caregivers faced in vacillating between focusing on the care during the illness trajectory (Here) and worries and plans for the future (After). Conclusion: This exploratory study is the first to focus solely on family caregivers’ experiences of preparing for a death. The caregivers described the complexities of trying to prepare while feeling overwhelmed with demands of caregiving throughout an unpredictable illness trajectory. The caregivers in the present study were cognitively prepared, some were behaviorally prepared, but emotional preparedness was challenging. Services should not assume that all family caregivers are well-prepared for the death. Caregivers would likely benefit from the assessment and promotion of their death preparedness.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • The effect of caring on post-bereavement outcome: Research gaps and practice priorities
      Breen, Lauren (2012)
      Family caregivers are the primary caregivers of family members over the course of illness. Some caregivers exhibit elevated levels of distress following the death of the person for whom they were caring. Despite the ...
    • The effect of caregiving on bereavement outcome: Study protocol for a longitudinal, prospective study
      Breen, Lauren; Aoun, Samar; O'Connor, Moira (2015)
      Background: The aim of the current study is to determine the effects of caregiving on bereavement outcome. The study will address two important gaps in the research literature: (1) the relationship between pre-death ...
    • Effect of caregiving at end of life on grief, quality of life and general health: A prospective, longitudinal, comparative study
      Breen, Lauren ; Aoun, S.; O’Connor, Moira; Johnson, Andrew ; Howting, D. (2019)
      © The Author(s) 2019. Background: Determining the effect of caregiving and bereavement remains a challenge. To date, no study has employed a comparison group to investigate caregivers’ grief, quality of life and general ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.