The Meaning of Bereavement for Older Bereaved Families Who Have Provided Home Care For Their Spouses

Abstract

Purpose: To clarify the meaning of bereavement for older bereaved family members who have bereaved their spouses at home.

Methods: Ten older bereaved family members who had cared for their spouses at home for three months to 2 years and had been bereaved for approximately 1 to 3 years were interviewed semi-constructively and analyzed qualitatively and descriptively.

Results: Six categories were extracted: “I will be with the bereaved in the way they were prepared to die,” “I will choose end-of-life care at home so that I will not regret it,” “I have no regrets, but I have not done all I can,” “I am lonely but not sad,” “I will learn how to live without being sad,” and “I will seek something to accept the end-of-life care at home.”

Conclusion: The participants’ narratives conveyed that they chose to provide end-of-life care at home in order to fulfill their spouses’ wishes, and their determination to stay close to their spouses until the end of their lives. Even if they feel they have provided sufficient care, there is no end to their care, and their adoration for their spouse grows. The meaning of their positive bereavement that after the death of their spouse, they will walk into the future with the irreplaceable things they gained from their spouse became clear.