Abstract:
Objectives: To study the loss experiences, coping with loss, and social support of spouses after the death of terminally ill patients at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. Method: This is qualitative research. Both male and female spouses of terminally ill patients after the death of 3 months were recruited into the study from Cheewabhibaln Palliative Care Center at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital and collected data from September - October 2014 by using purposive sampling. Those spouses were living and giving care to the patients for at least 6 months until the death of patients. Sixty - to - ninety - minute in-depth interview was used in this study. Instruments in this study were 1)demographic data form and questions for in-depth interview, and 2)Inventory of complicated Grief - ICG. The data was saturated at 10participants. Data analysis was performed by using Colazzi's method. Results: There were 10 spouses of terminally ill patients; 7 were female and 3 were male. The average age was 50.2 years. All terminal patients were 6 spouses (60%) experienced complicated grief by ICG. Loss experiences of the terminally ill's spouses were not different from other close relatives' losses. The psychological reactions were composed of - phases : 1)numbness, 2)depression, 3)recovery. The spouses with complicated grief were those who had very close relationship or overly dependence to the dead person, the truth concealing, the sudden or unexpected loss, or unprepared loss. Spouse who had resolved grief were those with adaptive coping with loss, and adequate social support. Conclusion: Loss experiences of spouses after the death of terminally ill patients in 3 - month period were composed of 3 phases of psychological reactions : 1)numbness, 2)depression, and 3)recovery. Helping the spouses of the terminally ill to deal with losses should implement both before and after the death of patients. Preparing the spouses to experience the losses, cope with losses, and gain adequate social support may help them to resolve the grief after the death of terminal patients.