Religious attitudes to the elderly and death – what you need to know Attitudes towards Senior Citizenship Caring for the elderly Roles within the family Life Support machines Life after death Euthanasia

You should know these! Ageism - Prejudice and discrimination against the elderly Death - The end of life, which can be determined in several ways but normally when the brain stops functioning Euthanasia - Inducing a painless death, by agreement and with compassion, to ease suffering. From the Greek meaning ‘good death’ (it can be active, passive, voluntary and involuntary). Hospice - A special place to which people go to die with dignity Life-support machine - A machine that keeps people alive when they would have died otherwise Mourning - A period of time which signs of grief are shown Purgatory - A time of spiritual cleansing and preparation for heaven Reincarnation - Being born again in another form Residential home - A large building with individual rooms for the elderly. Meals and a communal room for socialising are provided

Most religions agree that: Life comes from God Life is special and precious – the Sanctity of life God is in charge of life Only he should decide when it starts and ends God gives people talents and skills to save life

Attitudes towards the elderly We can define the elderly as those people who are retired from work. It is usually those aged 65 years and above. The elderly face a range of problems such as; poverty, loneliness, ageism and a lack of mobility. BUT who should care for the elderly? The government, their family, the community, care homes or sheltered accommodation. What do religions teach? – Christianity focus Jesus taught people to love thy neighbour Jesus cared for the lame, the sick and vulnerable people Jesus taught if we love God then to fulfil the commandments we must look after the elderly Should follow Jesus’ example to get closer to God.

What does Buddhism teach about the elderly “Support your parents. Care for your wife and children. Have a peaceful occupation. This is the highest blessing.” Buddhists believe that all family life should be built on the foundation of love. True love in Buddhism is that which only thinks of the happiness of someone else. It only thinks about making someone else happy. The elderly should be respected for the experience and wisdom. Children have a responsibility to look after their parents and it should be seen as a privilege. It helps gain good karma for future lives.

The hospice movement A hospice is a house or home dedicated to the care of terminally ill patients. The first hospice was set up by Christian nuns in 1900 in Ireland . There are about 100 hospices in the UK . Many of them have a Christian basis and many Christians believe they are an alternative to euthanasia. Hospices are not funded by the Government. They are paid for by fundraising, donations and money left in wills. There are 3 main aims of hospice care: To relieve pain. Today it is thought it is not necessary for terminally ill patients to die in pain. Hospices specialize in pain control. Hospice staff believe all pain, however severe can be brought under control. (Palliative care) To help patients, friends and relatives face up to death. Although many hospices are Christian foundations, no attempt is made to persuade patients to become Christians. Opportunities are given to the patients and to family members to discuss death and dying. To care for the emotional needs of friends and family. Hospices help families cope with bereavement before, during and after the death of their relative.

Life-support machines – should we keep people alive artificially? People are kept alive through medication e.g. diabetics, as well as hi-tech equipment e.g. defibrillator. A life support machine allows a person to remain alive by assisting or replacing breathing, in the hope that the person will recover and be able to breath independently at some point. The machine provides nutrients such as glucose and water to keep the body functioning through tubes. Christian reasons for life support Christian reasons against life support God gave people the talents to use. Doctors are using their talents to keep people alive. Jesus healed people using miracles, medicine is not a miracle but can help to heal Goes against God’s plan, it says in the Bible ‘your days were written before you were born’. God creates and takes life away not humans.

To die or not to die? – euthanasia debate: ’You should not be able to choose when you die’ Agree God gives life and only God should take life away – ‘Thou shalt not kill.’ All life is sacred – the sanctity of life. Doctors should help save lives not take them away. All life is valuable to God, ‘You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed. ‘ Buddhists argue euthanasia creates bad karma because it breaks the First Precept – I will not harm any living thing. Disagree If it caused no harm to others we should be allowed to do what we want. It is an act of love or charity to help someone in great pain to end his or her suffering. A dying person may decide that the strain and burden that they are placing on relatives is unreasonable. It would show great love to die and to relieve others of this strain and upset. Animals are put down when their lives are seen as no longer worth living so why not allow humans the same dignity.

Life after death Many people believe that death is not the end. Christians see the death and resurrection of Jesus as a guarantee of life after death for all those who believe in him. Can we ever look upon death positively? - Yes Moral law is based on the belief that good should be rewarded and evil should be punished i.e. heaven and hell. The belief in an eternal life with God in heaven offers Christians comfort as they near the end of their earthly lives. Heaven can be seen as a better place – a place of eternal peace. A funeral allows people to celebrate the person’s life and find reassurance in the belief of something after life.

Life after death in Buddhism Buddhists find death easier to cope with as they accept that life is non-permanent and that decay is always at work. ‘Death carries off a man who is gathering life’s flowers, whose mind is distracted, even as a flood carries off a sleeping village. All things are created things are impermanent. When one by wisdom realises this he heeds not this world of sorrow.’ The Buddha Buddhists believe that after death a soul is reborn. The cycle of rebirth is called samsara. The aim of every Buddhist is to reach Nirvana or Nibbana and escape the cycle of birth, death and rebirth.

Answering 6 mark questions You should not spend longer than 10 minutes on this question. It requires you to state and explain a range of views about the statement. A possible answer could include: A very brief introduction that shows you know the keyword e.g. euthanasia is . . . . Me = what do you think about the statement and why give a reason why you either agree, disagree or are not sure Agree = would Christians/Buddhists/atheists agree with the statement? Why? e.g. Bible, Jesus, Buddha, karma, no God etc. How do they behave/act because of this belief. Disagree = would Christians/Buddhists/atheists agree with the statement? Why? e.g. Bible, Jesus, Buddha, karma, no God etc. How do they behave/act because of this belief. Finally = try to conclude by saying ‘To sum up . . . . . . . . Try to do a quick plan before you actually start!