The Spectrum of End-of-Life Experiences: A Tool for Advancing Death Education

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doi:10.1177/00302228211052342

Cited by 4 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 54 publications

(59 reference statements)

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“…Fenwick et al proposed ELE terminology to describe this set of experiences of a spiritual/transcendent nature that occur in and around the process of dying, categorising them into two types: transpersonal and final meaning ELEs, which already represents an important step forward. 7 In a more recent article, 66 the authors argue for a broadening of the ELE spectrum by incorporating the experiences of relatives with their deceased loved ones after their death, extended to a period of a year (direct postdeath communication, postdeath synchronicity, additional after-death communication, etc). We suggest using the definition of ELE proposed by Fenwick et al 7 in this field of study, as it is comprehensive and specific, and it would contribute considerably to a better conceptualisation of these experiences, as well as the establishment of a panel of experts for the future construction of an ELE scale that will help with the standardisation of future studies regarding its mechanisms and effects.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

End-of-life experiences in the dying process: scoping and mixed-methods systematic review

Silva

Ribeiro

Moreira‐Almeida

2023

BMJ Support Palliat Care

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ObjectivesTo identify the current state of understanding about end-of-life experiences (ELEs) and examine evidence concerning prevalence, the impact on the process of dying and the perceptions/explanations of patients, relatives and healthcare professionals (HCPs) with regard to ELEs.MethodsScoping review and mixed-methods systematic review (ScR and MMSR). Nine academic databases were searched for a screening of the available scientific literature (ScR). Articles reporting qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods studies were selected (MMSR), the quality of which was assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) standardised critical appraisal tools. The quantitative data were synthesised in narrative form while a meta-aggregation approach was adopted for the qualitative results.ResultsThe ScR identified 115 reports, with 70.4% published after 2010, 55.6% from the USA and the most common terminology for ELE was deathbed visions (29%). The MMSR included 36 papers, describing 35 studies in various settings. The combination of quantitative and qualitative evidence indicated a greater prevalence of ELEs in samples of patients and HCPs compared with relatives. The most common ELEs were visions and dreams of the presence of deceased relatives/friends with references to making ready for a journey. The impact of ELEs was mainly positive, and there was a tendency to interpret them as spiritual experiences inherent to the process of dying.ConclusionsELEs are often reported by patients, relatives and HCPs and have a significant, generally positive impact on the process of dying. Guidelines for the furtherance of studies and clinical applications are discussed.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

End-of-life experiences in the dying process: scoping and mixed-methods systematic review

Silva

Ribeiro

Moreira‐Almeida

2023

BMJ Support Palliat Care

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“…Early collections of reports regarding unusual death-related animal phenomena, chiefly animal apparitional and haunting phenomena, were published by Ernesto Bozzano (1905Bozzano ( , 1950, Elliott O'Donnell (1913), andRaymond Bayless (1970). Other compilations contained reports that concerned other seemingly psychic faculties and unusual behavior of animals and included accounts from pet owners (e.g., Gaddis & Gaddis, 1970;Schul, 1977;Schwertner, 1984). In general, however, systematic research into faculties suggestive of psi in the animal kingdom has largely been neglected.…”

Section: Experiences Of Dying Animals: Parallels With End-of-life Exp...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Experiences of Dying Animals: Parallels With End-Of-Life Experiences in Humans

Sheldrake¹,

Smart²,

Nahm³

2023

JSE

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There has recently been an increased interest in end-of-life experiences (ELEs) in humans,but ELEs in non-human animals have not yet been assessed. In this paper, wepresent findings from a study we performed to collect and analyze reports about remarkablebehavioral aspects of animals during their last phase of life. After publicappeals in which we asked for reports about ELEs in animals, we received numerousresponses from pet owners. We were able to group these experiences into specificcategories, which we termed the last goodbyes, last visits, last rally, retreating into solitude,unusual premonitions of death, somatic surprises, terminal lucidity in animals, andpotential near-death visions in animals. We present 43 case reports pertaining to thesedifferent categories. Many of them show striking similarities to remarkable behavior reportedby dying people. This similarity between animal and human ELEs might be a signof a common physiology underpinning such experiences and could also increase therecognition that animals share an inner life similar to that of humans during all phasesof life. This could lead to a more respectful treatment of pets, as well as of animals infarms, zoos, and in the wild. However, as our study was of a preliminary character andonly the first of its kind, we encourage further systematic research in this field. In theSupplementary Material, we publish 71 additional cases for those who would like tostudy more examples.

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Applying Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring to Situate Caregiver Accounts of End-of-Life Experiences Within a Caregiving Context

Kinsella,

Fordham,

Williams

et al. 2024

Holistic Nursing Practice

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End-of life-experiences, including profoundly meaningful dreams, visions, and sensations, may be experienced by caregivers at the time of a patient’s death, yet few caregivers feel comfortable discussing these experiences with colleagues or other members of the care unit. This article presents findings from a descriptive qualitative study of end-of-life experiences reported by caregivers and frames these experiences within Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring, which is a holistic approach to health care that emphasizes the transpersonal caring relationship. Watson’s Theory is particularly useful for framing end-of-life experiences in a caregiving context as it avoids debates about the nature of these experiences and emphasizes their therapeutic value in human caring. This article also argues that it is time for open discussions about end-of-life experiences reported by caregivers and what they might teach us about death and dying.

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The Spectrum of End-of-Life Experiences: A Tool for Advancing Death Education

Cited by 4 publications

References 54 publications

End-of-life experiences in the dying process: scoping and mixed-methods systematic review

End-of-life experiences in the dying process: scoping and mixed-methods systematic review

Experiences of Dying Animals: Parallels With End-Of-Life Experiences in Humans

Applying Watson’s Theory of Transpersonal Caring to Situate Caregiver Accounts of End-of-Life Experiences Within a Caregiving Context

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