Abstract

MELO, Cynthia de Freitas et al. The binomial death and life for elderly in palliative care. Rev. SPAGESP [online]. 2021, vol.22, n.2, pp. 5-18. ISSN 1677-2970.

Contemporary society is characterized by an aging process permeated by stereotypes related to the proximity of death, denied by Western society. To unveil this theme, the objective was to identify the meanings that elderly in palliative care attribute to death and life. Two focus groups were held with 18 elderly in palliative care, understood by textual analysis in the IRaMuTeQ software. The results were organized into four classes: "Meanings about death" portrays their acceptance, "The relationships between life and death in old age" presents the ambivalence of this dyad, "Meanings about life in old age" assesses this phase of life, "Daily activities and life resignification" addresses their new roles. It is concluded that the support network and spirituality influence the meaning of death by the elderly.

Keywords : Elderly; Old age; Death; Life; Palliative care.

        · abstract in Portuguese | Spanish     · text in Portuguese     · Portuguese ( pdf )