Family Communication at the End of Life

Abstract

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