Saying goodbye during a terminal illness.

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning and processes of "saying goodbye" for individuals who lost a family member to a terminal illness. The guiding questions for this research study were: How do family members say goodbye when a family member has a terminal illness and what is the meaning of that saying goodbye process? A hermeneutic phenomenological approach was used to guide this qualitative study, which included interviews with 26 individuals ranging in age of 26-92 years of age. The findings suggested saying goodbye had two broad categories of meanings, including relational and spatial based meanings and final acts or actions of connectedness. Findings indicate that an ideal goodbye occurred when both the dying individual and the family member were able to participate in the process. Implications for family professionals are offered, as well as suggestions for future study in the area of saying goodbye.