Korean J Hosp Palliat Care.  2015 Mar;18(1):42-50. 10.14475/kjhpc.2015.18.1.42.

A Study of Social Workers' Understanding of Elderly Patients' and Family Caregivers' Rights to End-of-Life Care Decisions and of Their Own Roles in the Process

• Han S

• KMID: 2244625
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.14475/kjhpc.2015.18.1.42

Abstract

PURPOSE
This study was aimed to analyze how social workers understand the rights for elderly patient and family caregiver to make end-of-life (EOL) care decisions and their roles the decision making process.
METHODS
The study employed a quantitative research method of collecting data from a structured questionnaire that was filled out by 334 social workers at long-term care facilities. Data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, mean differences, correlation between variables, using SPSS 20.0 program.
RESULTS
The mean score for the understanding the rights to an EOL care decision was 3.46+/-0.69 and of their own roles 3.48+/-0.84. The level of understanding significantly differed by social workers' experience of assisting a process to make an EOL care decision such as advance directives and life sustaining treatment, work experience, and the number of beds. Positive correlation was observed between the level of understanding of the rights for EOL care decisions and of social workers' roles (Pearson r=0.329, P<0.001).
CONCLUSION
This study proposes development of an education program for social workers and devising standards for the EOL care decision making process to protect elderly patients, family caregivers as well as social workers in a long term care facility.

Keyword

Hospice care; Aged; Social work; Long-term care

MeSH Terms

Advance Directives
Aged*
Caregivers
Decision Making
Education
Hospice Care
Human Rights*
Humans
Long-Term Care
Social Workers