Experiences of elderly spouses who serve as surrogate decision makers for patients with cerebrovascular disease who have difficulty with communication at acute care hospitals

Abstract

This study aimed to clarify the experiences of elderly spouses who serve as sur rogate decision makers when their par tners suf fer from a sudden onset of cerebrovascular disease and have difficulty with communication, from acute care hospital admission to discharge. Participants were five elderly spouses. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the contents were qualitatively and inductively analyzed. Surrogate decision-making by elderly spouses was classified into surgery, hospital transfer（ discharge）, medical treatment. With respect to surgery, spouses felt that “they had no choice but to leave care to the doctors” and that “they were the only ones who could make decisions.” With respect to hospital transfer（ discharge）, spouses realized “they were the ones to make the final decisions through compromising,” and during medical treatment, spouses were faced with the medical dilemma of “having no room to make choices at their own decision.” The findings of this study demonstrated the importance of medical professionals devising guidelines for the content, methods, and timing of explanations, as well as continuing to consider which events elderly spouses view as problematic.