Conceptual and Empirical Research Integration for Care at the End-of-Life
The Conceptual and Empirical Research Integration for Care at the End-of-Life Project, also known as CERIEL, is a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council Insight Grant-funded research project that brings together philosophical conceptual analysis with qualitative empirical studies to strengthen our knowledge base and inform practical solutions in three areas of end-of-life care.
Summary | Updates | Methods | Areas of Research | Research Team | Resources | Acknowledgements
Project Background
Conceptual unclarity and terminological ambiguity undermine effective communication in health care, making it difficult to agree on and formulate policies, educate new practitioners, implement high standards of care, and establish a shared understanding between healthcare practitioner and patient. Philosophers are society's experts in clear and careful thinking and argument. Their work can help ensure that we have clear targets for empirical investigation. But without sufficient attention to real-world experience, of the sort carried out by Social Scientists, the analyses of philosophers tend toward abstraction and irrelevance. Genuine interdisciplinary collaboration between Philosophy and Social Science will help avoid imbalance in either direction (unclarity or abstraction). Integrated knowledge will provide a more solid basis for on-the-ground healthcare.
Our project aims to show how philosophical analysis combined with an observational study of lived experience can inform practical health and medical discourses and thereby contribute to the improvement of end-of-life care provision.
Updates
Methods
The Conceptual and Empirical Research Integration for Care at the End-of-Life (CERICEL) project experimentally combines philosophical analysis and qualitative social scientific investigation to form a stronger epistemic base for policy and decision-making than either approach provides on its own. Empirical work relies on background theoretical constructs and models but often does not adequately specify these. Conceptual analysis aims to explicate the meanings of important terms, but its definitions tend toward abstraction. Allowing conceptual analysis to inform the empirical study and then rethinking philosophical discourse in light of the results will set up a mutually reinforcing feedback loop, yielding more adequate conceptions of key ideas in the ethics of end-of-life (EOL) care.
In each of three EOL areas (see below), the research will proceed in four phases:
Phase 1: Critical Review and Analysis of Key Concepts
Phase 2: Empirical Study of Key Phenomena
Phase 3: Integration of Analysis and Empirical Research
Phase 4: Generation of Resources for EOL care providers
Application to Three End-of-life Care Areas
This project integrates philosophy and social science with the goal of improving EOL care in three areas. Explore each area below:
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Intention and End-of-Life Practices
Area 1 aims to provide conceptual resources to advance conversation and generate mutual understanding about the role of intention in clinical end-of-life care practices.
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Autonomy and Persons with Dementia
Area 2 will enrich philosophical discourse on autonomy and enhance autonomy-supportive healthcare for persons with dementia.
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Altruism and Informal EOL Caring
Area 3 seeks to describe a view of altruism compatible with self-care, and suggest strategies for palliative care organizations to promote altruistic action in potential informal care givers.
Meet the Research Team
Dr. Andrew Stumpf
Principal Investigator
Andrew Stumpf, PhD, ThD (ABD) is Assistant Professor of Philosophy at St. Jerome’s University in the University of Waterloo, and has published books on Ancient Philosophy and Business Ethics. Recently his teaching and research energies have focused on end-of-life ethics: he has developed three courses and carried out three grant-funded projects in this area. Andrew is the founder of the Kernel Network and Principal Investigator, leading the analysis and integration phases of the project.
Dr. Susan Cadell
Co-Investigator
Susan Cadell, PhD, RSW (she/her) is a social work researcher and Professor in the School of Social Work at Renison University College, which is affiliated with University of Waterloo. Susan's research concerns death, dying and bereavement, particularly positive outcomes of caregiving and grief. Susan’s most recent projects concern grief in COVID, after Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD), and healing tattoos. She is a co-investigator and will lead the interview components of this project.
Chris Longley
Graduate Research Assistant
Chris is a PhD and GDip student in applied philosophy and theoretical neuroscience at the University of Waterloo. He is also a Graduate Research Assistant at the Kernel Network. Chris works on analysis of concepts like autonomy, intention, and altruism as they pertain to end-of-life care, among other top
Erin McKenzie
Research Assistant
Erin McKenzie, BSc, MSW (expected 2025), is a research assistant at St. Jerome’s University, affiliated with the University of Waterloo. Erin has published research on topics of symptom management in palliative oncology and autonomy and meaningfulness in persons with dementia. Erin is the current lab manager of the Kernel Network, overseeing day-to-day operations of the network’s national grant-funded projects and supporting the research work in Phases 1 and 2 of the project.
Acknowledgements
We would like to express our gratitude to the institutional supporters of our research:
Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
This research project was made possible by an Insight Grant (IG) from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada (SSHRC).
St. Jerome’s University College
St. Jerome’s University provided a Faculty Research Grant to assist with preparation for the SSHRC IG application. St. Jerome’s has also provided support in the form of space for a research lab, release from some teaching commitments, and financial assistance for student researchers and project support.
What is the role of hope for those requesting MAID, and on a larger scale, those approaching the end of life? Explore here!