SCHROEPFER Tracy A., NOH Hyunjin, KAVANAUGH Melinda
Journal article citation:
Gerontologist, 49(6), December 2010, pp.755-766.
Publisher:
Oxford University Press
This study explored the role control plays in the dying process of terminally ill older people by investigating the aspects of the dying process over which they seek to exercise control, the strategies they use and whether they desire to exercise more control. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with 84 terminally ill older people receiving hospice care. Results revealed that all 84 respondents were using at least one primary control strategy in their dying process, 83 of whom did so in combination with another primary or compensatory secondary control strategy. Decision making, independence, mental attitude, instrumental activities of daily living, activities of daily living and relationships were aspects of the dying process over which the respondents sought to exercise control. Over half of the respondents wanted more control but felt their illness prevented it. The findings highlight the importance of terminally ill older people having opportunities to exercise control in the dying process.
This study explored the role control plays in the dying process of terminally ill older people by investigating the aspects of the dying process over which they seek to exercise control, the strategies they use and whether they desire to exercise more control. In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with 84 terminally ill older people receiving hospice care. Results revealed that all 84 respondents were using at least one primary control strategy in their dying process, 83 of whom did so in combination with another primary or compensatory secondary control strategy. Decision making, independence, mental attitude, instrumental activities of daily living, activities of daily living and relationships were aspects of the dying process over which the respondents sought to exercise control. Over half of the respondents wanted more control but felt their illness prevented it. The findings highlight the importance of terminally ill older people having opportunities to exercise control in the dying process.
Clinical Social Work Journal, 36(2), June 2008, pp.177-184.
Publisher:
Springer
Place of publication:
New York
Social workers who provide end-of-life care do not always see themselves as clinicians. This paper identifies what is clinical in work with the dying. Social workers routinely elicit sources of cultural and psychological ways of coping, tolerate difficult and painful affects, and balance hope with compassion. They work in multidisciplinary teams and on every level (individual, family, and systemically) to avoid splitting or blame. Further, dying is a relational event. Social workers who work with the dying often stand in the most intimate spaces and therefore use themselves intersubjectively. This work requires considerable courage and self-care.
Social workers who provide end-of-life care do not always see themselves as clinicians. This paper identifies what is clinical in work with the dying. Social workers routinely elicit sources of cultural and psychological ways of coping, tolerate difficult and painful affects, and balance hope with compassion. They work in multidisciplinary teams and on every level (individual, family, and systemically) to avoid splitting or blame. Further, dying is a relational event. Social workers who work with the dying often stand in the most intimate spaces and therefore use themselves intersubjectively. This work requires considerable courage and self-care.
Subject terms:
palliative care, psychosocial approach, self care, social workers, dying, end of life care, ethics;
Social Work in Health Care, 58(5), 2019, pp.444-458.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia, USA
The recent controversy around the hospital end of life care has highlighted the vulnerability of dying patients and their families. However, little is known about how social workers provide support and intervention around the end of life in the hospital. Eight hospital social workers provided qualitative descriptions of their clinical practice for adult patients and their families. Highlighting
(Edited publisher abstract)
The recent controversy around the hospital end of life care has highlighted the vulnerability of dying patients and their families. However, little is known about how social workers provide support and intervention around the end of life in the hospital. Eight hospital social workers provided qualitative descriptions of their clinical practice for adult patients and their families. Highlighting a theoretical orientation towards a person-in-environment approach, social workers develop unique interventions to contribute to multidisciplinary care. Findings emphasise the need to prepare social work students and clinicians for the reality of working with end of life issues.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
hospital social work, hospital social workers, dying, end of life care, hospitals, psychosocial approach, psychosocial intervention, family support, intervention, service provision;
Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 4(3), 2008, pp.173-188.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia
While the international hospice movement is expanding, many countries still struggle to provide adequate hospice and palliative care services in the face of limited financial resources and knowledge about the usefulness of these services among the general public. In this context, the author describes her experiences as a Fulbright Scholar teaching about health social work and end-of-life and palliative care to students in a college in North Eastern Hungary.
While the international hospice movement is expanding, many countries still struggle to provide adequate hospice and palliative care services in the face of limited financial resources and knowledge about the usefulness of these services among the general public. In this context, the author describes her experiences as a Fulbright Scholar teaching about health social work and end-of-life and palliative care to students in a college in North Eastern Hungary.
Subject terms:
hospices, palliative care, psychosocial approach, social work, social work education, terminal illness, dying, international social work;
Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 5(1-2), January 2009, pp.75-93.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia
... in assessment and treatment and suggests that medicalisation of distress and DSM-IV-TR criteria are insufficient to describe the dying patient's experience, and that a broader view is needed. End-of-life care is a rich field of practice where existential concerns impact physical and mental well-being. It is imperative that clinicians in the field equip themselves with psychosocial and spiritual clinical
The psychological distress and other end-of-life issues experienced by the terminally ill patient are a focus of attention for both the medical and psychiatric communities. The arena has engaged a variety of voices, from those who medicalise end-of-life distress to others who view distress as a normative response within the biopsychosocial-spiritual framework. This article reviews issues in assessment and treatment and suggests that medicalisation of distress and DSM-IV-TR criteria are insufficient to describe the dying patient's experience, and that a broader view is needed. End-of-life care is a rich field of practice where existential concerns impact physical and mental well-being. It is imperative that clinicians in the field equip themselves with psychosocial and spiritual clinical tools. Social workers may have a unique position in understanding and addressing end-of-life issues. Recommendations for social work education include increased training to equip medical social workers to address the specific needs of chronically or terminally ill individuals.
Subject terms:
palliative care, psychosocial approach, social workers, spirituality, terminal illness, assessment, death, dying, end of life care;
Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 6(1-2), January 2010, pp.73-90.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia
This qualitative study explored both the role that anticipated support plays in the dying process and how support received by terminally ill elders conveys the message that continued and/or additional support can be anticipated. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 100 elders receiving hospice care in southern Wisconsin, of whom 85 discussed anticipating future support from family, overburdened caregivers. Implications are discussed regarding the role of social workers in working with caregivers to ensure that the terminally ill elders they care for can anticipate future support in their dying process and after death.
This qualitative study explored both the role that anticipated support plays in the dying process and how support received by terminally ill elders conveys the message that continued and/or additional support can be anticipated. Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 100 elders receiving hospice care in southern Wisconsin, of whom 85 discussed anticipating future support from family, friends, and professionals. Participants were at least 50 years of age and had a life expectancy of 6 months or less. Respondents talked about four characteristics of the support they had or currently were receiving, which led them to believe they could anticipate the continued receipt of such support as needed. These included: support on a regular basis; counting on others; immediate response; and offers and willingness. Anticipating support was found to be based on current experiences of received support and the definition of future extended beyond death for some who anticipated surviving loved ones receiving grief support. Not all anticipation of support evoked positive feelings. Some respondents anticipated receiving unhelpful support or felt guilty about anticipating support from overburdened caregivers. Implications are discussed regarding the role of social workers in working with caregivers to ensure that the terminally ill elders they care for can anticipate future support in their dying process and after death.
Subject terms:
hospices, needs, older people, professional role, psychosocial approach, social networks, social workers, terminal illness, user views, attitudes, death, dying;
Journal of Social Work in End-of-Life and Palliative Care, 5(3-4), July 2009, pp.186-200.
Publisher:
Taylor and Francis
Place of publication:
Philadelphia
Social work's emphasis on the strengths and personal resources of clients can enrich understanding of palliative care patients. This study examined the availability of various personal resources to patients, and explored differences in psychosocial outcome between patients with a particular personal resource and those without it. The study comprised clinical data mining using clinical records of 935 deceased palliative care patients who died between 2003 and 2005 in a public hospital in Hong Kong. The personal resources possessed by the patients were: religion; personal beliefs; life meaning and purpose; fullness in life; self-worth; hope; acceptance of reality; and caregivers’ support and acceptance. Caregivers' support and acceptance was found to be the most common personal resource that patients possessed. The findings indicated that patients who experienced caregivers' support and acceptance and fullness in life showed significantly fewer psychosocial symptoms than patients who did not possess these personal resources on admission to palliative care. The article concludes that social workers may facilitate patients' development of these personal resources, possibly resulting in better psychosocial status.
Social work's emphasis on the strengths and personal resources of clients can enrich understanding of palliative care patients. This study examined the availability of various personal resources to patients, and explored differences in psychosocial outcome between patients with a particular personal resource and those without it. The study comprised clinical data mining using clinical records of 935 deceased palliative care patients who died between 2003 and 2005 in a public hospital in Hong Kong. The personal resources possessed by the patients were: religion; personal beliefs; life meaning and purpose; fullness in life; self-worth; hope; acceptance of reality; and caregivers’ support and acceptance. Caregivers' support and acceptance was found to be the most common personal resource that patients possessed. The findings indicated that patients who experienced caregivers' support and acceptance and fullness in life showed significantly fewer psychosocial symptoms than patients who did not possess these personal resources on admission to palliative care. The article concludes that social workers may facilitate patients' development of these personal resources, possibly resulting in better psychosocial status.
Subject terms:
palliative care, psychosocial approach, quality of life, religious beliefs, resilience, self-esteem, terminal illness, cancer, Chinese people, dying, family relations;
This book focuses on practice interventions to help dying and bereaved people, their families and carers. The authors review sociological and psychological ideas about dying and bereavement, incorporating spiritual care, multi-professional practice and ethical issues likely to face social workers in end-of-life and palliative care. It also contains several extended case examples to help develop practice skills fully. Chapters include: social work, end-of-life and palliative care; death and dying - awareness and uncertainty; truth and hope - communication at the end of life; engaging and assessing in end-of-life care; intervention in end-of-life social work; grief and bereavement - ideas and interventions; multiprofessional end-of-life care; ethical and value issues of end-of-life social work;
This book focuses on practice interventions to help dying and bereaved people, their families and carers. The authors review sociological and psychological ideas about dying and bereavement, incorporating spiritual care, multi-professional practice and ethical issues likely to face social workers in end-of-life and palliative care. It also contains several extended case examples to help develop practice skills fully. Chapters include: social work, end-of-life and palliative care; death and dying - awareness and uncertainty; truth and hope - communication at the end of life; engaging and assessing in end-of-life care; intervention in end-of-life social work; grief and bereavement - ideas and interventions; multiprofessional end-of-life care; ethical and value issues of end-of-life social work; and group and macro interventions.
Subject terms:
intervention, multidisciplinary services, needs assessment, palliative care, psychosocial approach, social work, bereavement, carers, death, dying, families, end of life care, ethics;