Perception of a Good Death in the Elderly

Han, Na Young; Yoon, Hong Joo; Park, Eal Whan; Cheong, Yoo Seock; Yoo, Sun Mi

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Family doctors are usually point of contact when the elderly think their death is imminent. To properly treat their disease and to provide good care of them and their families, family doctors must know the elderly's perception of a good death and dying. The purpose of this study was to investigate the components of a good death from the elderly.
METHODS
We composed 9 questions focusing on good death and dying. A family medicine resident interviewed 35 people ages sixty five or over in Cheonan Welfare Center. The contents were recorded into audiotapes, and then translated and analyzed by quantitative method and coding technique.
RESULTS
Among the total 35 respondents, many elders answered that they had thought about death and that the meaning of a death was the end of life, or transition from one world to another in religious belief. In their dying, they hoped that they would be with their offspring or spouse and that they would be in their home or hospital. Old people identified 8 major components of a good death: proper age, death without disease, death before death of their offspring and spouse, dying when whole family get together, death after seeing their family happy, death during sleep, and death without pain. They pointed out that the most meaningful event in their lives were related to their family, occupation and society.
CONCLUSION
The elderly identified a good death in view of family as well as personal conditions such as proper age, a death without pain or disease. And most elderly pointed out that meaningful events in their lives were related to their family, occupation and society.