Table 3 Demographic data of the sample, n = 92

Age, mean (SD)

Range

82.3 (4.5)

75–94 years

82.7 (5.4)

75–94 years

82 (3.9)

75–92 years

n (%)

n (%)

Living alone

40 (43.5)

21 (58)

19 (34)

0.049²

Living together

52 (56. 5)

15 (42)

37 (66)

Relatives

0.171²

 Spouse

49 (53)

15 (42)

34 (61)

 Children

32 (35)

15 (42)

17 (30)

 Other

10 (11)

6 (16)

4 (7)

 Nobody

1 (1)

–

1 (2)

Diagnosis¹

0.029³

 Cancer

74 (81)

33 (92)

41 (73)

 Lung disease (other than cancer)

4 (4)

1 (3)

3 (5)

 Neurological disease (ALS, Parkinson’s)

3 (3)

–

3 (5)

 Heart disease

2 (2)

–

2 (4)

 Two or more diagnoses

9 (10)

2 (5)

7 (13)

Place of care

0.182²

 Only palliative in-patient ward

39 (42.5)

11 (30.5)

28 (50)

 Only ordinary home

25 (27)

12 (33.5)

13 (23)

 Combination palliative inpatient ward/ ordinary home

28 (30.5)

13 (36)

15 (27)

Place of death

0.495³

 Palliative inpatient ward

63 (68)

23 (64)

40 (71.5)

 Ordinary home

29 (32)

13 (36)

16 (28.5)