Factors Related to Preparatory Behaviors for the Death of Older Women who Lost Their Husbands before Old Age

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to clarify the factors related to preparatory behaviors for death of older women who lost their husbands before old age and are now in old age. Five older women who lost their husbands before old age were interviewed. Data were analyzed using Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT), which is a qualitative data analysis method using four-step coding. Factors related to preparatory behaviors for death were generated in three categories, such as behaviors that help in adapting to life without a spouse, behaviors that aim at seeking to live better, and behaviors that prepare for the final stages of life. Behaviors that help in adapting to life without a spouse included time factors, living factors, financial factors, health factors, and family factors related to the opportunity and room to think about their death. In behaviors that aim at seeking to live better, it was the action factors with a view to enjoyment and death, such as goal factors, internal factors, acceptance factors for aging, and acceptance factors towards death. Behaviors that prepare for the final stages of life included recognition of preparatory behaviors, expectations for preparatory behaviors, actual preparatory behaviors, and the matter that revealed in preparatory behaviors. These were not behaviors of a particular order, but occur naturally as part of a spouseless life.