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Death and Dying

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Ageing in a Nursing Home

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Abstract

Silence on the subject of death is evident in contemporary nursing homes, where almost every person has one or more incurable medical conditions, up to one-third dying within 6 weeks of admission (Tjernberg & Bökberg, 2020); yet its name is not readily spoken. With a dominant focus on wellness, describing ways in which living in a nursing home may be enhanced, the subject of death is seldom brought to the fore.

This chapter emphasises the importance of preparation for death and how the conversation needs to include staff and other health professionals, residents, families and volunteers. Different perceptions and perspectives on the subject are described, including grief, loss and bereavement. Procedural matters are discussed, with information about notification, certification and documentation. Examples show the disparate community responses to death and dying, including various cultural characteristics.

While (some of) the stories are based on factual situations, real names and other details have been altered to protect the identity of the persons concerned. Resemblance to any particular person is therefore purely coincidental.

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  1. Thornbury, VIC, Australia

    Rosalie Hudson

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  1. Rosalie Hudson
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Hudson, R. (2022). Death and Dying. In: Ageing in a Nursing Home. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98267-6_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98267-6_6

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-98266-9

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-98267-6

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