Fostering hope in terminally‐ill people

Abstract

This study explored the meaning of hope and identified strategies that are used to foster hope in a convenience sample of 30 terminally-ill adults using the technique of methodological triangulation (interview, Herth Hope Index and Background Data Form). Cross-sectional data were collected on 20 of the subjects, and longitudinal data were collected on 10 of the subjects in order to provide a clearer understanding of the hoping process during the dying trajectory. Hope was defined as an inner power directed toward enrichment of 'being'. With the exception of those diagnosed with AIDS, overall hope levels among subjects were high and were found to remain stable over time and across the background variables. Seven hope-fostering categories and three hope-hindering categories were identified based on the interview responses. The findings could serve as a guide for the development of interventions to foster hope in terminally-ill people.