title: Decision Making Among Older Adults at the End of Life: A Theoretical Perspective.
abstract: Understanding changes in decision making among older adults across time is important for health care providers. We examined how older adults with a limited prognosis used their perception of prognosis and health in their decision-making processes and related these findings to prospect theory. The theme of decision making in the context of ambiguity emerged, reflecting how participants used both prognosis and health to value choices, a behavior not fully captured by prospect theory. We propose an extension of the theory that can be used to better visualize decision making at this unique time of life among older adults.
authors.affiliation: School of Nursing, University of California, San Francisco (Drs Romo, Dawson-Rose, and Wallhagen); and Hahn School of Nursing and Health Sciences and Beyster Institute for Nursing Research, University of San Diego, San Diego, California (Dr Mayo).
authors.forename: Rafael D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Romo
authors.forename: Carol S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Dawson-Rose
authors.forename: Ann M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Mayo
authors.forename: Margaret I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Wallhagen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001293:Attitude to Death; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003657:Decision Making; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010166:Palliative Care / Q000523:psychology*; D013727:Terminal Care / Q000523:psychology*