EOLinPLACE

As far as possible, deaths should take place where the individual wishes. We know that most people would prefer to die at home, but many die in hospital. Until now, science has failed to grasp the dynamics and diversity of preferences and places where people are cared for at the end of life. Current classifications of places of death are incomplete and inconsistent. This project aims to reform the classification and understanding of places of death, refining and shifting the focus from the end point (place of death) to the journey that precedes it. The aim is to develop a solid basis for a pioneering international classification tool that maps preferred and actual places towards death according to what they mean to individuals (beyond a purely physical or medical view). This is achieved by combining classic methods of health classification development with a bottom-up participatory research approach, working with patient and family representatives. This research will open up new ways of caring for the dying.