End-of-Life Dreams and Visions: A Qualitative Perspective From Hospice Patients.
End-of-life dreams and visions (ELDVs) are well documented throughout history and across cultures with impact on the dying person and their loved ones having profound meaning. Published studies on ELDVs are primarily based on surveys or interviews with clinicians or families of dead persons. This study uniquely examined patient dreams and visions from their personal perspective. This article reports the qualitative findings from dreams and visions of 63 hospice patients. Inductive content analysis was used to examine the content and subjective significance of ELDVs. Six categories emerged: comforting presence, preparing to go, watching or engaging with the deceased, loved ones waiting, distressing experiences, and unfinished business.
Department of Nursing, Daemen College, Amherst, NY, USA.
Cheryl L
CL
Nosek
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA.
Christopher W
CW
Kerr
Department of Nursing, Daemen College, Amherst, NY, USA.
Julie
J
Woodworth
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA.
Scott T
ST
Wright
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA phang@palliativecare.org.
Pei C
PC
Grant
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA.
Sarah M
SM
Kuszczak
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA.
Anne
A
Banas
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA.
Debra L
DL
Luczkiewicz
Research Department, Center for Hospice & Palliative Care, Cheektowaga, NY, USA.
Rachel M
RM
Depner
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D004325:Dreams / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D017051:Hospice Care / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D019452:Terminally Ill / Q000523:psychology*
dreams; dying; end of life; end-of-life care; end-of-life experiences; visions