Decision-Making Process of Family Caregivers

Gastrostomy for Elderly People with Cognitive Difficulties

Abstract

The development of medical technology has extended life expectancy, but it has also had unwanted effects in our life. We report a case study of a family who chose to feed their elderly parent with cognitive difficulties by using a gastrostomy tube. The decision-making process for adopting gastrostomy was investigated with a series of semi-structured and informal interviews given to the family caregivers. Collected data were analyzed and were compiled as ethnography. We investigated the everyday life of the elderly parent at home and at a care home and found the following three points. The meaning of gastrostomy is determined by the circumstances perceived by people involved in the process. Prior knowledge of gastrostomy and preparation for facing the end-of-life are effective in handling an elderly person’s rapidly deteriorating health condition. The family members found peace in their daily life by regarding gastrostomy as a tool for caregiving.