Table 1.

Questions and Probes from Semistructured Interviews

Questions	Probes
If this were the last place you live and when you think about the end of your life, including dying, what is important to you?	Values: What do you think will be important to you in your final days? (physical comfort, pain control, presence/no presence of family or friends, not thinking about it, not talking about it) Location of death: Where would you prefer to die? Comfort: Who would you like to spend time with in your final days? (family, friend, clergy, pet, caregiver) What do you think would support or comfort you in your final days? (being with family, friends, alone, praying or being prayed for, singing, reminiscing, picture, being informed about health state, expressing anger or frustration, music, TV, pet, clergy, reading)
	What is important for those who are caring for you in the nursing home to know?
	What is important for family members and friends who care for you to know?
What conversations have you had about your final days with family members/friends? How did you feel about having these conversations?	When did the conversation occur? Did an event lead to the conversation?
I'm going to ask you to think back to when you were admitted to the nursing home. When you came here, what conversations did you have with [nursing home personnel: SW, nurse, doctor] about what you would like your final days to be like?	What did you think about that conversation? Was it a positive or negative experience for you? Why/why not? Were you asked about your preferences related to your final days?
When you came to the nursing home, did nursing home personnel ask you your preferences related to [advance directive]?	[orders for resuscitation, hospitalization, comfort/palliative care] When should conversations like this take place? Who should be involved in these conversations?
What do you think are the challenges to talking about one's final days? Facilitators?