'This is perfect, thank you': Research poetry on gratitude for voluntary assisted dying in Victoria, Australia.

White, BP; Jeanneret, R; Holland-Batt, S; Miller, E

'This is perfect, thank you': Research poetry on gratitude for voluntary assisted dying in Victoria, Australia.

White, BP Jeanneret, R Holland-Batt, S

Miller, E

Permalink

Publisher:: WILEY
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australas J Ageing, 2025, 44, (2), pp. e70019
Issue Date:: 2025-06

Open Access

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Open Access

This item is open access.

Adobe PDF

Download Published versionAdobe PDF (402.21 kB)

View on publisher's site

View statistics

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	White, BP
dc.contributor.author	Jeanneret, R
dc.contributor.author	Holland-Batt, S https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6471-7738
dc.contributor.author	Miller, E
dc.date.accessioned	2025-10-15T04:20:44Z
dc.date.available	2025-02-28
dc.date.available	2025-10-15T04:20:44Z
dc.date.issued	2025-06
dc.identifier.citation	Australas J Ageing, 2025, 44, (2), pp. e70019
dc.identifier.issn	1440-6381
dc.identifier.issn	1741-6612
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/190503
dc.description.abstract	OBJECTIVE: To undertake the first scholarly examination in Australia of how those involved in seeking voluntary assisted dying (VAD) discuss the concept of gratitude for this new end-of-life choice. The article shares findings through research poetry, an arts-based form of research where poems are developed from data (here, interview transcripts). METHODS: Twenty-eight semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 participants (32 family caregivers; one patient). Participants were asked about their VAD experience, with caregivers also asked about the experience of their family member. Data were thematically analysed, focusing on expressions of gratitude for VAD. Miller's five-step process was adopted to create the research poetry. RESULTS: Gratitude for VAD was a significant concept for participants. We identified three gratitude themes relating to what people were grateful for, who people were grateful to and other feelings mixed in with their gratitude, such as ambivalence. We created six poems to illuminate these findings and give voice to the gratitude expressed by patients and family caregivers about VAD. CONCLUSIONS: Gratitude for VAD was emphasised by participants as an important part of their experience and something that can help family caregivers cope after a VAD death. Expressions of gratitude can support health professionals providing VAD and create support for law reform in other jurisdictions. Research poetry reflecting this gratitude can contribute to reducing the stigma attached to VAD and enhance awareness of this relatively new end-of-life choice. More research is needed into the emotional experience of those involved in seeking and receiving VAD in Australia.
dc.format	Print
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	WILEY
dc.relation.ispartof	Australas J Ageing
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/ajag.70019
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	11 Medical and Health Sciences, 16 Studies in Human Society, 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Gerontology
dc.subject.classification	3202 Clinical sciences
dc.subject.classification	4203 Health services and systems
dc.subject.classification	4205 Nursing
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Poetry as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Caregivers
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Victoria
dc.subject.mesh	Adaptation, Psychological
dc.subject.mesh	Emotions
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude to Death
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over
dc.subject.mesh	Suicide, Assisted
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary
dc.subject.mesh	Suicide, Assisted
dc.subject.mesh	Adaptation, Psychological
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude to Death
dc.subject.mesh	Emotions
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Caregivers
dc.subject.mesh	Victoria
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Poetry as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Poetry as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Male
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Caregivers
dc.subject.mesh	Middle Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Qualitative Research
dc.subject.mesh	Aged
dc.subject.mesh	Victoria
dc.subject.mesh	Adaptation, Psychological
dc.subject.mesh	Emotions
dc.subject.mesh	Attitude to Death
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Interviews as Topic
dc.subject.mesh	Euthanasia, Active, Voluntary
dc.subject.mesh	Aged, 80 and over
dc.subject.mesh	Suicide, Assisted
dc.title	'This is perfect, thank you': Research poetry on gratitude for voluntary assisted dying in Victoria, Australia.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	44
utslib.location.activity	Australia
utslib.for	11 Medical and Health Sciences
utslib.for	16 Studies in Human Society
utslib.for	17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences/School of Communication
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design and Society
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Design and Society/School of Communication
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2025-10-15T04:20:42Z
pubs.issue	2
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	44
utslib.citation.issue	2

Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: To undertake the first scholarly examination in Australia of how those involved in seeking voluntary assisted dying (VAD) discuss the concept of gratitude for this new end-of-life choice. The article shares findings through research poetry, an arts-based form of research where poems are developed from data (here, interview transcripts). METHODS: Twenty-eight semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 33 participants (32 family caregivers; one patient). Participants were asked about their VAD experience, with caregivers also asked about the experience of their family member. Data were thematically analysed, focusing on expressions of gratitude for VAD. Miller's five-step process was adopted to create the research poetry. RESULTS: Gratitude for VAD was a significant concept for participants. We identified three gratitude themes relating to what people were grateful for, who people were grateful to and other feelings mixed in with their gratitude, such as ambivalence. We created six poems to illuminate these findings and give voice to the gratitude expressed by patients and family caregivers about VAD. CONCLUSIONS: Gratitude for VAD was emphasised by participants as an important part of their experience and something that can help family caregivers cope after a VAD death. Expressions of gratitude can support health professionals providing VAD and create support for law reform in other jurisdictions. Research poetry reflecting this gratitude can contribute to reducing the stigma attached to VAD and enhance awareness of this relatively new end-of-life choice. More research is needed into the emotional experience of those involved in seeking and receiving VAD in Australia.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/190503