ABSTRACT

Objective : As Korea became a super-aged society, well-dying grew increasingly important. However, caregivers' experiences and needs, and occupational therapy's role in well-dying support, remained underexplored. Methods : An online survey of adults aged ≥ 19 years assessed awareness of well-dying, hospice care, and advance directives, and caregivers' experiences. Data were analyzed using frequency analysis and chi-square tests. Results : Participants aged 20–80 years generally had positive perceptions, whereas those aged ≥ 90 years had relatively more negative perceptions. Well-dying awareness differed according to caregiving experience, with lower awareness in the caregiving group than in the non-caregiving group (41.46% vs. 60.00%), whereas hospice awareness was higher in the caregiving group (95.12% vs. 87.76%). No significant differences were observed in interest in services, awareness of advance directives, or intention to complete them. Caregiving services focused primarily on pain management; 43.90% reported dissatisfaction and 92.68% indicated a need for additional support. All caregivers reported a need for occupational therapy, and 95.12% expressed willingness to use such services. Conclusion : Despite increased awareness, unmet needs remained in end-of-life care. Caregivers emphasized the need for environmental, emotional, and educational support and showed high acceptance of occupational therapy, highlighting the importance of a multidisciplinary approach.