title: Dignified Palliative Long-Term Care: An Interpretive Systemic Framework of End-of-Life Integrated Care Pathway for Terminally Ill Chinese Older Adults.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To critically examine the system dynamics necessary for successfully implementing a novel end-of-life integrated care pathway (EoL-ICP) program in promoting dignity and quality of life among terminally-ill Chinese nursing home residents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty stakeholders were recruited to participate in 4 interpretive-systemic focus groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Framework analysis revealed 10 themes, organized into 3 categories, namely, (1) Regulatory Empowerment (interdisciplinary teamwork, resource allocation, culture building, collaborative policy making), (2) Family-Centered Care (continuity of care, family care conference, partnership in care), and (3) Collective Compassion (devotion in care, empathic understanding, compassionate actions).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings highlight the importance of organizational structure, social discourse, and shared meaning in the provision of EoL-ICP in Chinese societies, underscoring the significant triangulation between political, cultural, and spiritual contexts embodied in the experience of dignity.
authors.affiliation: Division of Psychology, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Nangyang Technological University, Singapore Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong andyhyho@ntu.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Andy Hau Yan
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Ho
authors.affiliation: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Fung Yiu King Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: James K H
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Luk
authors.affiliation: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Fung Yiu King Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Felix H W
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Community Care Services, Hong Kong West Cluster, Hospital Authority, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chun Ng
authors.affiliation: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Jockey Club Care and Attention Home, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Catherine K K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Kwok
authors.affiliation: Tung Wah Group of Hospitals, Jockey Club Care and Attention Home, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Joseph H L
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Yuen
authors.affiliation: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Michelle Y J
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Tam
authors.affiliation: Sau Po Centre on Ageing, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wing W S
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Kan
authors.affiliation: Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Cecilia L W
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Chan
mesh_terms: D001293:Attitude to Death; D002681:China; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003469:Culture; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006282:Health Personnel; D006707:Homes for the Aged / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008297:Male; D009735:Nursing Homes / Q000458:organization & administration; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D036301:Qualitative Research; D011788:Quality of Life; D000068217:Social Workers; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D019452:Terminally Ill
keywords: death and dying; dignity; long-term care; qualitative methods; transitional models