Exploring Children/Adolescents’ Final Conversations with Dying Family Members

Keeley, Maureen P.; Generous, Mark A.; Baldwin, Paula K.

doi:10.1080/15267431.2014.908198

Cited by 27 publications

(23 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Therefore, communication at the end of life potentially has the greatest and longest-lasting impact on family members. The article briefly highlights the most common themes of final conversations, provides pragmatic suggestions regarding communication at the end of life for the terminally ill, family members-including children and adolescents [33,34], and palliative/healthcare professionals.…”

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confidence: 99%

Family Communication at the End of Life

Keeley

2016

Journal of Family Communication

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People often feel awkward and ill at ease when faced with the opportunity for communication at the end of life, thus the overall theme for the articles in this special issue is the creation of more awareness and knowledge regarding the depth, breadth, and importance of current research exploring family communication at the end of life. This introductory essay attempts to accomplish the following: (1) discuss the importance of talk regarding death; (2) highlight the formative role of family interactions on the death and dying process; and (3) outline the articles in this special issue. Scholars contributing to this special issue on "Family Communication at the End of Life" have provided evidence that communication is important between and for terminally ill individuals, family members, and healthcare/palliative care specialists. Overall, research exploring communication at the end of life is especially relevant because every person experiences the death and loss of loved ones, and ultimately faces the reality of their own death. [6,7]. In the American Culture, where the majority of people die in hospitals, death has been routinely denied, sterilized, and/or removed from view [8]. Talking about dying is not morbid, nor is it magical talk that invites death into peoples' lives, as some cultures believe [9], but it is often uncomfortable for family members [10]. It is uncomfortable because communication is a skill that takes practice and, in general, people have no experience with communication at the end of life; these interactions usually occur in private and behind closed doors [1]. It is not surprising that individuals feel awkward and ill at ease when faced with the opportunity for communication at the end of life. Thus, the overall theme for the articles in this special issue is the creation of more awareness and knowledge regarding the depth, breadth, and importance of current research exploring family communication at the end of life. This introductory essay attempts to accomplish the following: (1) discuss the importance of talk regarding death; (2) highlight the formative role of family interactions in the death and dying process; and (3) outline the articles in this special issue.Communication at the end of life, before there is an impending death, can help remove the stigma that surrounds the topic of death and dying [1]. Talking about dying with the person that is terminally

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confidence: 99%

Family Communication at the End of Life

Keeley

2016

Journal of Family Communication

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“…Love, gratitude, and forgiveness were included as common feelings at the EOL . We added “wishes after death” and continuing bonds because of their potential to improve family–patient connection. We also included “hope to live” and “concerns and complaints (only patients)” because patients and families continue hoping to live until the end and families typically accept patients' concerns and complaints .…”

Section: Questionnairementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Feelings commonly communicated at the EOL are gratitude, love, and forgiveness . Communication is important for both patients and families: Messages of love and gratitude can increase their sense of connection, patients' quality of life, and families' acceptance and peace after bereavement . Expressing forgiveness can resolve conflicts, enhance patients' hope and quality of life, and relieve families' depressive symptoms .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Expressing forgiveness can resolve conflicts, enhance patients' hope and quality of life, and relieve families' depressive symptoms . Furthermore, dignity therapy asks patients to express their wishes for their family after their death, which is intended to relieve patients' spiritual pain, as well as to guarantee that the patient's legacy is preserved; the wishes can even become guides and forms of life support (called “messages of identity”) for bereaved families . The continued bonds offered by these wishes can provide comfort and healing for patients and families, thus promoting the adaptation of bereaved individuals .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Verbal communication of families with cancer patients at end of life: A questionnaire survey with bereaved family members

et al. 2017

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“…[1,2,4]. This was the most prominent theme that emerged from children/adolescents interviews about final conversations [4].…”

Section: Summary Of Final Conversations Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

Final Conversations: Overview and Practical Implications for Patients, Families, and Healthcare Workers

Keeley

Generous

2017

Behavioral Sciences

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The current paper presents a summary of a 12-year body of research on final conversations, which will be useful for healthcare providers who work with patients and family nearing the end-of-life, as well as for patients and their family members. Final conversations encompass any and all conversations that occur between individuals with a terminal diagnosis and their family members (all participants are aware that their loved one is in the midst of the death journey). Final conversations take the family member’s perspective and highlights what are their memorable messages with the terminally ill loved one. In this paper the authors highlight the message themes present at the end-of-life for both adults and children, the functions each message theme serves for family members, and lastly, the communicative challenges of final conversations. Additionally, the authors discuss the current nature and future of final conversations research, with special attention paid to practical implications for healthcare providers, patients, and family members; also, scholarly challenges and future research endeavors are explored.

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Exploring Children/Adolescents’ Final Conversations with Dying Family Members

Cited by 27 publications

References 25 publications

Family Communication at the End of Life

Family Communication at the End of Life

Verbal communication of families with cancer patients at end of life: A questionnaire survey with bereaved family members

Final Conversations: Overview and Practical Implications for Patients, Families, and Healthcare Workers

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