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Comfort for the dying: five year retrospective and one year prospective studies of end of life experiences

Comfort for the dying: five year retrospective and one year prospective studies of end of life experiences
Comfort for the dying: five year retrospective and one year prospective studies of end of life experiences
Many cultures have reported end-of-life experiences (ELEs) as part of the dying process. However, few studies have examined the mental states of the dying in the weeks and days before death. Following an ELE pilot study with a palliative care team, 38 nurses, doctors and end-of-life carers from two hospices and a nursing home took part in a 5-year retrospective followed by a 1-year prospective ELE study. Interviewees’ reports (first-hand and second-hand accounts from relatives, patients and residents) suggested that ELEs are not uncommon. ELEs included deathbed phenomena (DBP) such as visions, coincidences and the desire to reconcile with estranged family members. These experiences seemed to comfort both the dying and the bereaved. Interviewees described other phenomena such as clocks stopping synchronistically at the time of death, shapes leaving the body, light surrounding the body and strange animal behavior. Interviewees confirmed that ELEs differed from drug-induced hallucinations and occurred in clear consciousness. Most expressed concern about a lack of specialist ELE training and education and recommended that ELE modules be included in their training courses. ELEs provided comfort and hope for the dying and consolation for the bereaved. Further research is required to find the true prevalence and range of ELE phenomena.
deathbed phenomena, deathbed visions, deathbed coincidences, end-of-life experiences, training of the personnel for deathbed care
0167-4943
173-179
Fenwick, Peter
97feb311-612a-49f7-b12c-0f69fc3347d8
Lovelace, Hilary
729703f0-3ab1-4f21-a9a5-a0d3033c508d
Brayne, Sue
6486311f-bc02-4217-a4dc-216756ccf2f1
Fenwick, Peter
97feb311-612a-49f7-b12c-0f69fc3347d8
Lovelace, Hilary
729703f0-3ab1-4f21-a9a5-a0d3033c508d
Brayne, Sue
6486311f-bc02-4217-a4dc-216756ccf2f1

Fenwick, Peter, Lovelace, Hilary and Brayne, Sue (2010) Comfort for the dying: five year retrospective and one year prospective studies of end of life experiences. Archives of Gerontology and Geriatrics, 51 (2), 173-179. (doi:10.1016/j.archger.2009.10.004).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Many cultures have reported end-of-life experiences (ELEs) as part of the dying process. However, few studies have examined the mental states of the dying in the weeks and days before death. Following an ELE pilot study with a palliative care team, 38 nurses, doctors and end-of-life carers from two hospices and a nursing home took part in a 5-year retrospective followed by a 1-year prospective ELE study. Interviewees’ reports (first-hand and second-hand accounts from relatives, patients and residents) suggested that ELEs are not uncommon. ELEs included deathbed phenomena (DBP) such as visions, coincidences and the desire to reconcile with estranged family members. These experiences seemed to comfort both the dying and the bereaved. Interviewees described other phenomena such as clocks stopping synchronistically at the time of death, shapes leaving the body, light surrounding the body and strange animal behavior. Interviewees confirmed that ELEs differed from drug-induced hallucinations and occurred in clear consciousness. Most expressed concern about a lack of specialist ELE training and education and recommended that ELE modules be included in their training courses. ELEs provided comfort and hope for the dying and consolation for the bereaved. Further research is required to find the true prevalence and range of ELE phenomena.

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More information

Published date: September 2010
Keywords: deathbed phenomena, deathbed visions, deathbed coincidences, end-of-life experiences, training of the personnel for deathbed care

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 162383
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/162383
ISSN: 0167-4943
PURE UUID: 55396550-e806-4d5e-b864-d10771235879

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Date deposited: 20 Aug 2010 08:37
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:02

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Contributors

Author: Peter Fenwick
Author: Hilary Lovelace
Author: Sue Brayne

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