Living will and health of elders with chronic illness at the end of life as perceived by caregivers

บทคัดย่อ

This study aimed to identify the living will and health of elders with chronic illness at the end of life as perceived by the key-caregivers. The informants were 22 key-caregivers caring for the elderly at home in Hat-Yai, Songkhla province. The instruments consisted of the in-depth interview questions developed based on model of LIFESS (Living will, Individual belief, Function, Emotion and coping, Symptoms and Social and support). Content analysis was used to analyze data. Results were found that only 4 from 22 of endof-life elders had designed their living will. They were cared according to their beliefs of illness and death preparing as well as their physical and psychological function. The caregivers faced with positive and negative emotional coping in order to relieve the discomfort end-of life symptoms of elderly. The caregivers needed support from inside and outside family.