J Adv Nurs. 1987 Sep;12(5):551-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1987.tb03044.x.

Feeding of severely demented patients in institutions: interviews with caregivers in Israel.

Journal of advanced nursing

A Norberg, M Hirschfeld

PMID: 3121709 DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2648.1987.tb03044.x

Abstract

In an exploratory, open-ended, and non-random study, 60 health care workers in nine long-term care institutions in Israel were questioned regarding their experiences, thoughts and feelings related to force feeding senile demented patients. The main findings were analysed according to an ethical decision-making model. Israeli care workers tended to ground their explanations in traditional Jewish sanctity of life ethics. Their actions as well as their emotional reactions seemed the logical outcome of this world view: patients were force fed and caregivers did not feel guilt for using force or accepting suffering, since they felt obliged to preserve life and thus their actions were right. They did feel ugly and upset about the situation. While most caregivers felt that force feeding was the only acceptable route in an institution, some suggested family home care where discretionary case by case ethics was seen as a viable alternative. This paper compares the Israeli interview results with those of the Swedish studies.

Keywords: Analytical Approach; Death and Euthanasia; Empirical Approach; Mental Health Therapies; Professional Patient Relationship; Religious Approach

MeSH terms

• Attitude of Health Personnel*
• Beneficence
• Dementia / nursing
• Eating*
• Ethics*
• Home Care Services
• Humans
• Internationality
• Israel
• Judaism*
• Long-Term Care
• Moral Obligations
• Quality of Life
• Stress, Psychological
• Sweden
• Value of Life
• Withholding Treatment

Publication Types

• Comparative Study
• Journal Article
• Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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