The lived experience of older Chinese Singaporeans with life threatening illness in an inpatient hospice

The hospice movement in Singapore started in 1985 and most of the research conducted focused mainly on symptom management and description of services; there is no study to date that looks at how the local peoples’ perceptions and needs of palliative care are being catered for. This research study aims to examine and describe the lived experience of older Chinese Singaporeans with life threatening illness in an inpatient hospice. This study will help to fill the information gap and enhance further research. As this thesis is submitted by partial publication, eight peer reviewed journal articles have been written and inserted in the chapters so as to guide the reader through the inquiry. This is a hermeneutic phenomenological study, guided by the ideas of van Manen. Fifteen older Chinese Singaporeans with life threatening illness staying in an inpatient hospice were interviewed face to face, telling the experience of their illness and their stay at the hospice. The interviews were open-ended and tape recorded, each session ranged from 30 minutes to an hour, and the data were allowed to unfold naturally. The data were transcribed and analyzed and then interpreted using the philosophical underpinnings of phenomenology to guide my interpretation. The essence of the participants’ experience was categorized into two main themes, which are: the experience of having life threatening illness and the experience of the hospice, and then into nine subthemes: meaning of hospice to the older Chinese participant; burden of others; control and distress? for being dependent; worry about family; dislike of hospital stay; fear of pain and suffering; being the voice of the others-impact on communication; the culture barrier; and relying on religion. A number of recommendations are made and also suggestions for further research are included as a result of the findings of this study.