What is time at the end-of-life? Temporal reflections from a public interactive installation

Abstract

Background End-of-life decision-making is often avoided due to societal taboos. This study aimed to foster reflection on mortality through the Threads of Time interactive installation, using the theme of time to engage participants in considering end-of-life issues.Methods The art installation was presented at two public events. Attendees anonymously responded to the prompt “What is time at the end-of-life?” by writing on paper tags. A total of 221 tags (63 from the first event, 158 from the second) were collected. Responses were analyzed using inductive qualitative coding to identify key themes.Results Four primary themes emerged: Philosophical Reflections on Death and Time, Embracing Purposeful Time, Self-Affirmation and Personal Reflections, and Grief. Themes were consistent across both events, though age-related differences in temporal focus were observed.Conclusions The Threads of Time installation stimulated public reflection on end-of-life topics, highlighting its potential as a tool to support dialogue and awareness in supportive care contexts.