"While death is a universal human experience, the process of planning for death can be difficult and may be avoided altogether."

Death Stud. 2018 Mar 2. doi: 10.1080/07481187.2018.1446060. [Epub ahead of print]

Community perspectives of end-of-life preparedness.

Banner D1, Freeman S1, Kandola DK2,3, Meikle M4, Russell BKM5, Sommerfeld EA6,7, Flood D8, Schiller CJ1.

Author information

1

a Associate Professor, School of Nursing , University of Northern British Columbia , Prince George , BC , Canada.

2

b Doctoral Student, School of Health Sciences , University of Northern British Columbia , Prince George , BC , Canada.

3

c Research Associate, School of Nursing , University of Northern British Columbia , Prince George , BC , Canada.

4

d Research Assistant, School of Social Work , University of Northern British Columbia , Prince George , BC , Canada.

5

e Undergraduate Student, School of Health Sciences , University of Northern British Columbia , Prince George , BC , Canada.

6

f Senior Lab Instructor, School of Health Sciences , University of Northern British Columbia , Prince George , BC , Canada.

7

g Staff Nurse, Prince George Rotary Hospice House , Prince George , BC , Canada.

8

h Executive Director, Prince George Hospice Society , Prince George , BC , Canada.

Abstract

While death is a universal human experience, the process of planning for death can be difficult and may be avoided altogether. To understand community perspectives of end-of-life preparedness, we undertook a multi-method study exploring the experiences of 25 community members and 10 stakeholders engaged in end-of-life planning. In addition, card sorting activities and focused discussions with 97 older adults were undertaken to highlight perspectives and needs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and qualitative description. Overall, the participants perceived many benefits to being end-of-life prepared, however, few community members had engaged in formal planning. Key barriers include concerns about the accessibility and accuracy of information, discomfort when engaging in end-of-life conversations, and perceptions about the cost associated with engaging in formal legal or financial preparations. Areas for further research include the need for studies that capture the cultural dimensions of end-of-life planning and explores the implementation and evaluation of community-based interventions to improve preparedness.