February 14, 2021

Assistant Professor Geok Ling Lee (NUS Social Work), Dr Ivan Mun Hong Woo (DUKE-NUS Medical School), and Associate Professor Cynthia Goh (National Cancer Centre Singapore) look at the experiences of family members and caregivers in ‘Understanding the concept of a “good death” among bereaved family caregivers of cancer patients in Singapore’ (Palliative and Supportive Care, 2013).

The article highlights how speaking about death typically remains taboo in Singapore. However, the objective reality of imminent death among advanced cancer patients and the impact on their families means that, despite the social restrictions surrounding it, in the end the subject simply must be broached.

The study was composed of 25 family caregivers who were interviewed and took part in focus groups to engage with the question of ‘what was a good death?’. They all had experiences of living with or taking care of an advanced cancer patient during the last weeks of life. The majority were Chinese, female, and ranged in age from 25 to 79 years old.

The five major themes identified from the interviewees were:

(1) Preparation for death
(2) Family and social relationships
(3) Moments at or near death
(4) Comfort and physical care
(5) Spiritual well-being

An interesting contrast the authors noted was the differing view often held by the dying person versus the caregiver about what was important at the end of life. The two examples provided were that, firstly, the dying person was eager to have a quick death or die in their sleep compared with the caregiver’s wish for the death not to take them by surprise. Secondly, the dying person did not want to die in front of their loved ones, whereas caregivers wanted to be present at the moment of death.

The results from the study provide correlation and similarities to the findings from studies done in other cultures, and perhaps go to show that, despite the reticence to openly discuss death and end of life situations in Singapore, in the end death impacts us all in very much the same way.

Read the full article here.