Dying at Home as a Paradigm of the Good Death in Quebec: A Gender-based Analysis
The diversity of the end-of-life experiences in contemporary Western societies seems to be hidden behind the dichotomous paradigm of good and bad death. This social construction defeats those who fail to conform to the criteria of good death. In this context, and in Quebec’s context of aging population, home appears to be an ideal place to age and die, because it allows people to maintain their autonomy and exercise control over their end-of-life trajectory. While the new public health approach to palliative care aims towards a reappropriation of end-of-life and death experiences outside of healthcare institutions, few studies have examined the influence of gender on these experiences. This article highlights the gender differences as perceived by family caregivers in palliative home care settings in Quebec, based on testimonials collected as part of a larger PhD research study.