Skip Navigation



The Gerontologist Advance Access published online on June 8, 2009
The Gerontologist, doi:10.1093/geront/gnp060
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
49/6/755    most recent
gnp060v1
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Schroepfer, T. A.
Right arrow Articles by Kavanaugh, M.
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Schroepfer, T. A.
Right arrow Articles by Kavanaugh, M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

The Myriad Strategies for Seeking Control in the Dying Process

Tracy A. Schroepfer, PhD1,2, Hyunjin Noh, MSW2 and Melinda Kavanaugh, MSW2

2 School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin–Madison

1 Address correspondence to Tracy A. Schroepfer, PhD, School of Social Work, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 1350 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706. E-mail: tschroepfer{at}wisc.edu


  Abstract

Purpose: This study explored the role control plays in the dying process of terminally ill elders by investigating the aspects of the dying process over which they seek to exercise control, the strategies they use, and whether they desire to exercise more control. Design and Methods: In-depth face-to-face interviews were conducted with 84 terminally ill elders receiving hospice care. Directed and conventional content analysis methods were used to identify main themes and patterns. Results: The results revealed that all 84 elders were using at least 1 primary control strategy in their dying process, 83 of whom did so in combination with another primary or compensatory secondary control strategy. Decision making, independence, mental attitude, instrumental activities of daily living, activities of daily living, and relationships were aspects of the dying process over which the respondents sought to exercise control. Over half of the respondents wanted more control; however, they felt their illness prevented it. Implications: The findings highlight the importance of terminally ill elders’ having opportunities to exercise control in their dying process. Practitioners need to ensure that these opportunities exist and to be aware that elders are adaptive and use multiple strategies in exercising control.

Keywords: Primary control, Secondary control, End-of-life care, Qualitative research methods, Quality of life

Received November 4, 2008; Accepted February 4, 2009

Decision Editor: Nancy Schoenberg, PhD


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?




Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.