“In a new study, MU researchers uncovered several themes that expose the challenges that are often not included in conversations about dying at home. – Credit: University of Missouri-Columbia”

by University of Missouri-Columbia

“She died at home, but it wasn’t the romantic scene found in movies, where the family held her hand and she simply closed her eyes. In reality, there was a night when she had diarrhea 12 times. In reality, every time she had to be moved she was in pain. This was how a caregiver described caring for her mother as she died at home to social scientists studying end-of-life decision-making.

“‘The realities of a home death experience present challenges for family members, especially those with limited resources and social support,’ Benson said. ‘It is important that people understand that home death does not automatically equate a good death.’

In recent decades, there has been a groundswell of social movements championing the ideal of dying at home. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, home deaths in the U.S. increased nearly 30 percent from 2000 to 2014, while deaths in hospitals, nursing homes and long-term care communities dropped.”

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