ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS TOWARDS END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS

ŞAHİN SAY ,Deniz; BÜKEN ,ÖRNEK Nüket

doi:10.31086/tjgeri.2020.142

Deniz ŞAHİN SAY

(Mehmet Akif Ersoy Üniversitesi, İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Fakültesi, Sosyal Hizmet, Burdur, Türkiye)

ÖRNEK Nüket BÜKEN

(Hacettepe Üniversitesi, Tıp Fakültesi, Tıp Tarihi ve Tıp Etiği, Ankara, Türkiye)

Türk Geriatri Dergisi

Yıl: 2020Cilt: 23Sayı: 1ISSN: 1304-2947 / 1307-9948Sayfa Aralığı: 90 - 99Metin Dili: İngilizce

DOI: https://doi.org/10.31086/tjgeri.2020.142

100 0

İngilizce

ATTITUDES AND BEHAVIORS OF ELDERLY INDIVIDUALS TOWARDS END-OF-LIFE DECISIONS

Abstract: Introduction: Elderly individuals frequently face end-of-life decisions. Thesedecisions create moral burden for the family and health personnel. Aim of this studyis determine the opinions of elderly about end-of-life decisions, which will act as aguide for physicians and families in clinical decision-making processes.Materials and Method: Standardized Mini Mental Test was applied to 650elderlies, and 448 participants with a test score 27 or more were interviewed between1 May 2017 and 1 January 2019 using questionnaires including sociodemographicdata form and scenarios that would determine their end-of-life decisions. Onlystatistically significant (P ≤ 0.05) results were presented in the results section.Results: 72.5% (n=325) of the participants stated that they should be informedabout medical diagnosis, 70.1% (n=314) stated that decision of informing thefamily should be left to patient and physician should inform the patient in any case.It was found that being familiar with the physician for a long time was importantin fulfilling patient requests, and 79% (n=354) of the participants could considerleaving a living will and appointing a medical guardian.Conclusion: Not talking to elderly patients with the judgment that they willnot understand the concepts of elderly care, not seeing them as a decision-makerin treatment and care decisions, letting relatives make the decisions and applyingthese decisions are unacceptable attitudes for elderly individuals who have goodmental health."

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Belge Türü: DergiMakale Türü: Araştırma MakalesiErişim Formatı: Erişime Açık

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