“I MIGHT NEED THIS FOR LATER.” - BACK POCKETING - Hospice Information Among Caregivers of Black PLwD

Sep 28, 2026

Despite hospice’s end-of-life benefits, Black people living with dementia (PLwD) use hospice services less often than non-Hispanic White persons. A qualitative descriptive study explored sources and characteristics of hospice information among family caregivers of deceased Black PLwD and examined how such information shapes hospice decision-making. Semi-structured interviews (N=25) used Longo’s Expanded Model for initial coding and iterative thematic narrative analysis; 75% enrolled PLwD in hospice. Some caregivers “back pocketed” information to evaluate credibility or build a future knowledge bank, with implications for clinicians’ delivery.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Background and study aim

Methods

Key findings: “back pocketing”

Implications

1100 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.3694 “I MIGHT NEED THIS FOR LATER.”“BACK POCKETING” HOSPICE INFORMATION AMONG CAREGIVERS OF BLACK PLWD Emika Miller1, Karen Moss2, Karen Rose3, Seuli Brill4, and Mary Beth Happ5, 1. Ohio State University College of Nursing, Fairborn, Ohio, United States, 2. The Ohio State University, Blacklick, Ohio, United States, 3. The Ohio State University, The Ohio State University, Ohio, United States, 4. College of Medicine, Ohio State University, Ohio, United States, 5. Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, United States Despite the benefits associated with hospice (e.g., improved quality of life at end-of-life), Black people living with dementia (PLwD) are less likely to utilize hospice services compared to non-Hispanic White persons. Exposure to hospice information may impact end-of-life decision-making for Black PLwD. This qualitative descriptive study examined the sources and characteristics of hospice information among caregivers and its influence on hospice decision-making. We employed semi-structured interviews with family caregivers (N = 25) of deceased Black PLwD. Longo’s Expanded Model guided the initial coding process. Thematic narrative analysis was applied to coded data through an iterative process. The study sample was predominantly female (72%), with an average age of 55.5 ± 14.7 years, and served as caregivers for 5.0 ± 4.0 years. Most participants (75%) enrolled their PLwD in hospice. When encountering dementia, hospice or other health-related information, some participants chose to “back pocket” it.“Back pocketing” refers to saving information for later consideration and possible action. Reasons for “back pocketing”information included: 1) deeming the information or source questionable in credibility, or 2) providing a knowledge bank to“pull from”for future decision-making in their caregiving role. One participant found “back pocket”information instrumental in securing a dementia diagnosis for their PLwD. This study refutes the notion that Black people do not receive or retain hospice information. It also emphasizes the importance of providing caregivers with credible hospice information and asking caregivers about “back pocketed”information. These findings may assist clinicians in determining when and through which avenues to provide hospice-related information.

FAQs

Why focus on hospice information for Black people living with dementia (PLwD)?

Black people with PLwD are less likely to use hospice than non-Hispanic White persons, and exposure to hospice information may influence end-of-life decisions.

How was the hospice information study conducted?

The study used semi-structured interviews with family caregivers (N=25) of deceased Black PLwD, with Longo’s Expanded Model guiding initial coding and iterative thematic narrative analysis applied to coded data.

What does “back pocketing” mean in the study?

“Back pocketing” refers to saving hospice or other health-related information for later consideration and possible action, often to assess credibility or to create a knowledge bank for future caregiving decisions.

Sep 28, 2026

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