Date

5-23-2025

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Doctor of Ministry (DMin)

Chair

Ryan Denney

Keywords

Advance care planning, advance directives, emotions, family dynamics, grief support, surrogate end-of-life decision-maker

Disciplines

Practical Theology

Abstract

Surrogate end-of-life decision-makers are family members facing the emergent task of making end-of-life care decisions for their loved ones many times without prior knowledge of what their family members would want. Afterward, the surrogate decision-maker is often without support to process their experience and grief. The purpose of this DMIN action research project is to provide a faith-based support group for those who have had the experience of being a surrogate end-of-life decision-maker and through an advance care planning and advance directives seminar and workshop provide an informational resource for individuals who have not had the experience and want to prepare. Seven experienced surrogate end-of-life decision-makers voluntarily participated in a six-week grief support group, and thirteen volunteer participants attended the two-week Advance Care Planning seminar and workshop presented by the PHG Urban Life Center at Power, Hope and Grace Bible Church in Detroit, MI. Research methods included recruitment interviews, qualitative questionnaires, satisfaction surveys, and pre and post-test assessments. The findings indicate that grief support allows for safe catharsis of the feelings of anger, guilt, regret, and relief. Findings regarding the advance care planning and advance directives seminar and workshop indicate that information and training will not result in completed advanced directives without addressing emotions and family dynamics.

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