The major aim of the proposed research is to examine how the topic and event of death are understood and acted upon in four long-term care institutions. There has been very little work on the social construction of death in long-term care institutions.
Specific aims of the proposed research include the following: 1) assess the effects of distinctive cultural and religious backgrounds of the LTC settings on the treatment and construction of death; 2) examine the institutional organization, framework, and both direct and de facto philosophies concerning death; 3) examine the division of labor among staff and family concerning death-work; 4) investigate the role of death in the daily life of the focal institutions; and 5) assess the mental health effects of current institutional practices on residents, staff and family. Research will occur sequentially in four LTC settings representing distinctive ethnicities and religions (Jewish-American; African-American, primarily Protestant; European American, primarily Irish Catholic, and European American, primarily northern-European Methodist). The methods and analysis will be ethnographic and qualitative in nature, as appropriate for the goals of the study, the research settings, and the level of knowledge development in this area. Consequently, methods will involve in-depth, key informant interviewing; participant observation of activities around death and dying; and case studies.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Method to Extend Research in Time (MERIT) Award (R37)
Project #
3R37AG013993-05S1
Application #
6146162
Study Section
Human Development and Aging Subcommittee 3 (HUD)
Program Officer
Elias, Jeffrey W
Project Start
1996-09-01
Project End
2000-08-31
Budget Start
1999-09-15
Budget End
2000-08-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Maryland Baltimore
Department
Social Sciences
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
003255213
City
Baltimore
State
MD
Country
United States
Zip Code
21201
Moss, Miriam S; Moss, Sidney Z; Rubinstein, Robert L et al. (2003) The metaphor of ""family"" in staff communication about dying and death. J Gerontol B Psychol Sci Soc Sci 58:S290-6