Epilogue Death and Dying

The Dying Person’s Emotions Kubler-Ross’s Five Stages Denial Anger Bargaining Depression Acceptance

Five Stages appear and reappear throughout process Age of dying person affects feeling about death

Deciding How to Die The Patient and the Family For older people preparation for death is seen as normal Pain at the end - what to do about it? The Patient and the Family Living will - indicates what medical intervention should occur

Medical Personnel Double effect- relieves pain, but could hasten death Palliative care- designed mainly to treat pain and suffering Hospice - place where terminally ill patients receive palliative care

The Social Context of Dying Death Around the World rite of passage biological event natural occurrence

Many cultures share death in a community spirit An accepted, familiar event that happened at home 20th century Western cultures withdrew death from everyday life

More and more people died alone in hospitals than at home among family This denial of death permeated the medical profession Doctors and nurses avoided the truth People became socially isolated even before death

Bereavement Mourning = the ways of expressing grief at the death of a loved one Mourning period - less likely today Mummification = bereaved leave intact belongings of dead Death of mourners over bereavement, not uncommon for elderly couples

Phases of Mourning Shock Longing Depression and despair Recovery Can last many months or years (2 years average) Do not follow a schedule

Later anniversary reactions -expected and accepted Bereavement overload = new deaths occurring before mourning another death has finished Anticipatory grief

Recovery What can others do Be aware of emotions that are likely to occur Understand bereavement is a long process Working through the emotions can help the person have a deeper appreciation of him/herself and life, including human relationships