COMMUNICATIVE NEEDS OF THE TERMINALLY ILL ELDERLY AND THE ROLE OF THE HOSPICE VOLUNTEER.
Contributors: University of Oregon.
Published: 1992
Number of pages: 123
Subjects: Speech Communication.; Gerontology.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Awareness of the communicative needs of the dying is essential to effective communication with the dying. The purpose of this descriptive study is to explore the relationship between the level of communication training and the degree of comfort of trained hospice volunteers in talking with dying patients. A selection of hospice programs in northern California is examined to document the adequacy of communication skill training of hospice volunteers in preparation for their conversations with terminally ill elderly patients. A short modified Likert scaled questionnaire was developed to examine death anxiety and perceived communication competencies of newly trained hospice volunteers. In addition, in-person interviews and anecdotal information is categorized and analyzed. A wide variation is found between perceived competencies of the trained volunteers and the degree of communicative anxiety and unease in discussing death-related issues with the dying elderly.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 53-08, Section: A, page: 2601.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, 1992.

School code: 0171.