Family Caregivers’ Preparedness with Death and Dying: An Ethnographic Study

Abstract

Death and dying is a complex process and influenced by belief and culture. Understanding the cultural practice is therefore important to enable providing quality end-of-life care. This paper focus in reporting how family caregivers prepare and deal with death and dying within palliative care context. This study was a contemporary ethnographic study that deriving data from observations and informal interviews. Field observation and informal interviews were conducted over three months with 21 patients’ relatives. Data was analyzed using ethnographic data analysis framework. Dealing with death and dying relates to how this was experienced and managed by the patient’s relatives. Three subthemes emerged: secret, ritual practices at end- of-life, and respect. Ritual practices at end-of-life demonstrate how religious and cultural influence during the event. The findings of the current research have identified the practice during death and dying of family care-givers that include fulfilment of patient’s wishes. An understanding of integral cultural element to death and dying is important to enable providing quality palliative care and end-of life care