Author(s)

Michiyo Ando, Hiromi Minota, Chika Shibukawa, Haruko Kira

Faculty of Nursing, St. Mary’s College, Faculty of Nursing, Kurume city, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan.
Kurume University, Fukuoka, Japan.
St. Mary’s Hospital, Fukuoka, Japan.

Objective: The aims of the study were to develop a Simple Life Review Interview as psychotherapy for terminally ill cancer patients with slight cognitive impairment, and to examine the feasibility and effects of this approach on spiritual well-being and quality of life. Methods: The participants were 5 terminally ill cancer patients in a palliative care unit. They completed questionnaires for the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual (FACIT-Sp) scale, Good Death Inventory (Hope, Burden, Human Relationship, Respect as an Individual), and Distress and Impact Thermometer. Results: The Simple Life Review Interview consisted of viewing a DVD and reviewing the patient's life using questions that are applicable to terminally ill cancer patients with slight cognitive impairment. Overall, the FACIT-Sp score and the scores for Hope, Human Relationship, and Respect as an Individual on the Good Death Inventory increased, while the Burden score and the Distress and Impact Thermometer score decreased. However, there were some exceptions to these results. Conclusion: The Simple Life Review is feasible for terminally ill cancer patients with some cognitive impairments, and might be effective for improving spiritual well-being, Good Death, and psychological distress in these patients.

Psychotherapy; Simple Life Review; Terminally Ill Patients; Spiritual Well-Being; Quality of Life

M. Ando, H. Minota, C. Shibukawa and H. Kira, "Simple Life Review for Terminally Ill Cancer Patients with Low Cognitive Function," Journal of Cancer Therapy, Vol. 3 No. 5, 2012, pp. 528-533. doi: 10.4236/jct.2012.35068.