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Factors That Influence Elders’ Decisions To Formulate Advance Directives, Crystal Moore, S. Sherman

Crystal Moore

Nine minority and eleven White low-income communi- ty-dwelling senior adults participated in semi-structured qualitative in- terviews regarding end-of-life deci sion-making related to the comple- tion of advance directives (e.g., living wills and health care proxies). The seniors were asked to discuss the role of their own evaluations and beliefs and their perceptions of the influence of significant others in their decisions to complete advance directives. Religious affiliation and a measure of religiosity were also examined. The participants over- whelmingly evaluated the completion of advance directives as positive, but many of the seniors reported that discussing end-of-life issues with their children …