Iranian-American older adults' attitudes and proactive actions toward planning ahead for end-of-life care

Ethnically diverse older adults are the fastest growing population in the U.S. This population may experience transitional processes associated with immigration, acculturation, aging, and end of life (EOL). Advances in technology lead to increases in care options, which can cause uncertainty to make decisions for EOL. Unmade decisions about care prior to becoming unable to communicate are associated with burdens of lastminute decisions at EOL, unwanted intensive EOL treatments for people who may die naturally of old age, financial and emotional costs, and decreased quality of life. In the U.S., a multicultural country with a variety of care options, advance directive (AD) completion and advance care planning (ACP) may improve culturally competent and person-centered care at EOL. However, the rate of AD completion and ACP is low among Americans, especially immigrant communities. These communities, including Iranian-American older adults, have been frequently understudied, and there is a gap in studies of EOL desires, attitudes, and actions/behaviors.