A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care
Background: It is projected that in Australia there will be between 28% and 48% of palliative care patients living alone by the year 2031. As such, it will become increasingly important to provide appropriate home-based care in order to support these patients to be cared for and die at home. Aim: Th...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Mary Ann Liebert, Inc Publishers
2014
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39591 |
| _version_ | 1848755632498278400 |
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| author | O'Connor, Moira |
| author_facet | O'Connor, Moira |
| author_sort | O'Connor, Moira |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background: It is projected that in Australia there will be between 28% and 48% of palliative care patients living alone by the year 2031. As such, it will become increasingly important to provide appropriate home-based care in order to support these patients to be cared for and die at home. Aim: This study explored the experiences of community-based palliative care cancer patients who live alone without a caregiver and what psychosocial issues they face. Methods: Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with eight participants, and constant comparison was used for the analysis. Findings: Four main themes emerged: (1) loss of social networks; (2) maintaining independence; (3) balancing independence and the need for assistance; and (4) planning for the end of life. Discussion: Participants balanced independence with the need to accept help in order to maintain independence. Participants became more flexible about their preferred place of death. Conclusion: The practice implications for working with people close to death who are living alone are that supports and assistance may be needed to maintain social networks and also a sense of independence. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:59:23Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-39591 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T08:59:23Z |
| publishDate | 2014 |
| publisher | Mary Ann Liebert, Inc Publishers |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-395912017-09-13T14:29:24Z A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care O'Connor, Moira Background: It is projected that in Australia there will be between 28% and 48% of palliative care patients living alone by the year 2031. As such, it will become increasingly important to provide appropriate home-based care in order to support these patients to be cared for and die at home. Aim: This study explored the experiences of community-based palliative care cancer patients who live alone without a caregiver and what psychosocial issues they face. Methods: Face-to-face semistructured interviews were conducted with eight participants, and constant comparison was used for the analysis. Findings: Four main themes emerged: (1) loss of social networks; (2) maintaining independence; (3) balancing independence and the need for assistance; and (4) planning for the end of life. Discussion: Participants balanced independence with the need to accept help in order to maintain independence. Participants became more flexible about their preferred place of death. Conclusion: The practice implications for working with people close to death who are living alone are that supports and assistance may be needed to maintain social networks and also a sense of independence. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39591 10.1089/jpm.2013.0404 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc Publishers restricted |
| spellingShingle | O'Connor, Moira A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care |
| title | A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care |
| title_full | A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care |
| title_fullStr | A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care |
| title_short | A Qualitative Exploration of the Experiences of People Living Alone and Receiving Community-Based Palliative Care |
| title_sort | qualitative exploration of the experiences of people living alone and receiving community-based palliative care |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/39591 |