{"id":1438,"date":"2026-05-21T15:49:27","date_gmt":"2026-05-21T06:19:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/caring-futures-institute\/?p=1438"},"modified":"2026-05-25T14:24:17","modified_gmt":"2026-05-25T04:54:17","slug":"encouraging-more-open-conversations-about-end-of-life-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.flinders.edu.au\/caring-futures-institute\/2026\/05\/21\/encouraging-more-open-conversations-about-end-of-life-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Encouraging more open conversations about end-of-life care"},"content":{"rendered":"

Conversations about death shouldn\u2019t be so intimidating, which is why efforts are being made\u00a0by Flinders University Caring Futures Institute researchers to promote\u00a0advanced\u00a0care planning and culturally sensitive end-of-life decision-making.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Many people avoid conversations about death and dying, particularly across different cultural contexts,\u00a0where expectations, family roles and beliefs about\u00a0specific types of\u00a0care can differ significantly.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help understand\u00a0this issue\u00a0and change\u00a0public acceptance of challenging\u00a0care\u00a0conversations, Dr Yumi Naito<\/a> from Flinders\u2019 Research Centre for Palliative Care, Death, and Dying (RePaDD) is exploring how people can have better conversations about care preferences, autonomy and quality of life before a crisis occurs.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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Dr Yumi Naito<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Dr Naito, a registered nurse qualified in both Japan and Australia, is conducting research that focuses on individual and personal decision-making about end-of-life issues, advance care planning (ACP), patient-centred care and dementia.<\/p>\n

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\u201cPreparing for death is also about preparing for how we want to live,\u201d says Dr Naito. \u201cTo address this, culturally safe care matters\u00a0at\u00a0every step of the care process, and better communication can reduce distress for patients and families at end of life.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr Naito\u00a0has been actively engaged in international initiatives to improve ACP practices between Japan and Australia\u00a0since 2019. Her scholarly work includes findings and analysis\u00a0on\u00a0the perspectives of nurses, physicians and older adults about end-of-life decision making, which she presented\u00a0at Advance Care Planning International conferences through 2025.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To help promote\u00a0her academic work,\u00a0Dr Naito\u00a0has delivered numerous public lectures in Japan to promote awareness and understanding of ACP,\u00a0which has\u00a0contributed\u00a0to broader societal discourse on patient autonomy and quality of life in ageing populations.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTo raise public awareness of life and health care, we have to also prepare for death and\u00a0dying, and the combination of all these things makes us think about a better life and purpose.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Her unique position\u00a0\u2013\u00a0residing in Australia while maintaining strong professional and academic ties in Japan\u00a0\u2013 has\u00a0enabled Dr Naito\u00a0to facilitate transnational collaborations and contribute to the development of a globally connected research network.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr Naito\u2019s\u00a0PhD thesis\u00a0–\u00a0<\/span>Cultural Influences on End-of-Life Decision Making in Japan among Doctors, Nurses, and Older Adults: An Ethnographic Study<\/span><\/a> \u2013 provides a solid foundation on which her ongoing research has continued to explore people\u2019s ability to address end-of-life care and preference, through the prism of cultural sensitiveness and advance care planning.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Research in her PhD thesis highlighted the importance of respecting patient autonomy while balancing family involvement, ensuring effective communication between patients, families, and health professionals \u2013 and recognised emotional and ethical challenges in achieving culturally-sensitive decisions for end-of-life care. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy research\u00a0also reflected both shared and differing perspectives among doctors, nurses, and older adults, emphasising key discussion points such as the exclusion of the dying person from decision making, strong cultural and hierarchical influences, evolving attitudes and approaches, dealing with conflicts, understanding responsibilities, and the need to promote education.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The implications\u00a0of more open conversations about end-of-life\u00a0decisions\u00a0included a cultural shift influenced by transitioning from family-centred to patient-centred decision making. Legal reforms encouraged informed consent and transparency regarding end-of-life choices, shaped by global trends, public opinion, health literacy, ethics, and effective communication through specialised training in end-of-life care.\u202f<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThis provides the important connection to improving quality of life, dignity, communication and support around death and dying,\u201d says Dr Naito.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Dr Naito explains\u00a0the implications of her research in a video presented by Flinders\u2019 Research\u00a0Centre for Palliative Care, Death, and Dying (RePaDD):<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n