Caring for patient at the end of life and coping with death in urban communities

Abstract

This research article has 2 main objectives: 1) to study the patterns of caregivers and community members in caring for end-of-life care in urban communities, 2) to study the problems and obstacles that caregivers and families face in caring. This research is qualitative research. The main informants were terminally ill patients, bedridden patient’s, caregivers, family members, neighbors, and community leaders in 2 urban communities, Chang Nak community and Wat Thong Noppakhun community. The data collection started with families with terminally ill patients and bedridden patients. Then, at least 10 key informants were selected using the Snowball Sampling Technique method in each area. The research has important findings as follows: even in the community there is a terminal care infrastructure, both formally run by government agencies and unofficially by volunteers who help care for patients. But there is also a lack of coordination between the relevant agencies, and the health authorities seem to be the main hosts in this regard. There is no formal community-based care system for terminally ill patients has been developed. Caregiver's end-of-life care knowledge skills are experiential and combined with knowledge recommended by health workers. Economic inequity is the main obstacle in caring for terminally ill patients. Terminally ill patients who do not have access to medical treatment rights will be more difficult to face complex problems and solve problems that face in the care of terminally ill patients. An urban setting in which the family is closed and highly private. The more it causes families who do not have access to the right to medical care, have no economic readiness, and lack of wide social networks. The task of caring for terminally ill patients is therefore a heavy burden on family members alone.