Omega
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Multiple bereaved adult children, as siblings, have rarely been studied. We expand the paradigm of bereavement research to explore the ways that two sisters describe the experience and meaning of the death of their elderly father. ⋯ Their views of their father's death reflected their particular relationship with their father, their non-shared experiences over the life course, and their personal world views. Differences and contradictions in the views of multiple siblings can broaden our understanding of bereavement and of the processes central to parent-child ties at the end of life.
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Historically, death took place at home where family held vigil around the dying patient. Today, family presence is an important feature of death and dying in hospital settings. ⋯ Two major themes emerged: 1) "settling in," characteristic of the experiences of wives and daughters in the initial phase of the patient's hospitalization; and 2) "gathering around," characteristic of the experiences of a wider array of family members as the patient neared death. An in-depth understanding of experiences of next-of-kin present at the hospital death of a loved one can increase staff awareness of family's needs and empower staff to develop policies and procedures for supporting family members.