ABSTRACT
Five years ago, I (Maureen) had the opportunity and privilege to spend about 9 weeks with my mother during the last 4 months of her life. When my mother and I faced the terminal time that we would have together, I remember being thankful for the opportunity to talk with her and to hug her often. I also know that it was one of the most difficult but meaningful experiences of my life. My experience with my mother at the end of her life also prompted my scholarly interest in this important and unique interactional context, so I began my journey to understand more about final conversations (FC). I started asking others to share their experiences with me, and over the past 18 months, I have been privileged to hear many wonderful stories about FC.
