Question 1

In what part of the life span is cancer most common? Explain why.

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Question 2

Are there sex or ethnic differences in death rates due to heart disease in middle and late adulthood in the United States? Explain.

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Question 3

A person who is designated to make treatment decisions on behalf of a dying person in the event of incapacitation is a(n) __________.

Accepted Answer

A person who is designated to make treatment decisions on behalf of a dying person in the event of incapacitation is known as a health care proxy. This person is selected by the individual and must make decisions based on the person's known wishes or best interests. Advance directives are legal documents that outline a person's medical care preferences and can include the appointment of a health care proxy. A patient-doctor liaison may help facilitate communication between the patient and their medical team, but they do not make treatment decisions. A health care lawyer may assist with legal matters related to medical decision-making, but does not hold the decision-making authority themselves.

Question 4

Two sisters are in the hospital at the bedside of their dying mother, who has slipped into a coma, and her heart has suddenly stopped.One sister calls the doctor, who rushes in and provides medical intervention to keep her alive.The other sister is furious because she knows that her mother would not have wanted to live this way.Could anything be done to avoid this situation?

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Question 5

Your grandfather was very concerned that at the end of his life he would be placed on a respirator and kept alive even when there was little hope that he would recover from whatever ailment he was suffering from.As a result, he created a written document specifying which treatments he wanted to have in case he had a terminal illness, was in a coma, or had brain death.What is this type of document?

Accepted Answer

A living will is a written document in which an individual specifies which treatments they want to have or avoid in case they cannot make decisions for themselves due to terminal illness, coma, or brain death. It helps ensure that their wishes regarding medical treatment and end-of-life care are respected.

Question 6

What is the intense psychological response that often accompanies the loss of a loved one to death?

Accepted Answer

Grief is the intense psychological response that often accompanies the loss of a loved one to death. Though bereavement, depression, and anxiety are common during this time, they are not the primary response. Grief includes a range of emotions such as sadness, anger, guilt, and despair, as well as physical symptoms like loss of appetite and difficulty sleeping.

Question 7

A relative tells you that your aunt wanted to die at home rather than stay in the hospital.He goes on to say, "That's creepy, especially for her husband who will still be living there." What is a benefit of dying at home that you could point out?

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Question 8

The loss of a loved one to death results in __________?

Accepted Answer

Bereavement refers to the experience of losing a loved one to death. It is a normal and natural process that involves a range of emotional, physical, and social responses. Grief, depression, and anxiety may all be part of the bereavement process, but they are not interchangeable terms.

Question 9

A student visits a privately funded house where hospice care is provided.He learns that, in addition to the nurse on duty, a staff of volunteers comes in around the clock.When the student asks the volunteer, "Isn't this depressing-how can you do this?," what do you think the volunteer might say in response? What are two benefits of hospice?

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Question 10

Your 91-year-old great-aunt has terminal cancer.You and she have had many conversations regarding what she would want done if she were incapacitated and could not make choices about any additional medical interventions.Because she knew in advance what she wanted to have happen, she created __________.

Accepted Answer

An advance directive is a legal document that outlines a person's wishes for medical treatment and care in the event they become unable to communicate or make decisions for themselves. In the given scenario, the 91-year-old great-aunt has had conversations about her end-of-life wishes, indicating she likely created an advance directive to ensure her wishes are honored. A will and trust fund relate to a person's finances after their death and a doctor-patient agreement is not a legal document outlining end-of-life care wishes.

Question 11

Your grandmother did not want medical personnel to attempt to prolong her life if her heart stopped or she stopped breathing.What type of agreement did she provide to communicate these wishes?

Accepted Answer

A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) provision is a medical order that informs healthcare providers not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the patient's heart stops or they stop breathing. It is typically included in an advance directive, which outlines a person's healthcare wishes in the event they are unable to communicate them themselves. A doctor-patient agreement or family-structured agreement may reflect a patient's wishes, but a formal DNR provision is necessary to ensure those wishes are respected in a medical setting.

Question 12

What involves a person's written and oral instructions concerning end-of-life care?

Accepted Answer

An advance directive involves a person's written and oral instructions concerning end-of-life care, outlining their medical preferences and naming a health care proxy to make decisions on their behalf if they become unable to do so. Active euthanasia and involuntary euthanasia involve deliberately ending a person's life, which is illegal in most jurisdictions. A health care proxy is a person appointed to make medical decisions on behalf of the patient if they become unable to do so.

Question 13

Your grandfather has an advance directive and the staff at the hospital where he is receiving end-of-life interventions was informed of this.However, the physician and other health care providers are not following it.Your family is very unhappy about this situation.Why would a physician not honor an advance directive?

Accepted Answer

Physicians may be reluctant to follow advance directives because they fear legal vulnerability in case of a negative outcome, even if the directive adheres to legal and ethical guidelines.

Question 14

Is there evidence that humans are genetically preprogrammed to die at a certain point in the life span? Explain.

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Question 15

If you were a 45-year-old man living in Africa, what would be your most likely cause of death? How does this compare to the most likely cause of death for 45-year-old men living in a developed country such as Canada?

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Question 16

Some physicians admit to providing assisted suicide to elderly persons who __________.

Accepted Answer

Physicians may provide assisted suicide to elderly persons who express a weariness of life, often due to suffering or a perceived lack of quality of life, rather than solely on the basis of terminal illness, unwillingness to live, or lack of family.

Question 17

Kendra has designated her husband as the person who shall be legally responsible to make treatment decisions on her behalf in the event of incapacitation.This is called a ___________.

Accepted Answer

Designating someone to make treatment decisions on your behalf in the event of incapacitation is known as a health care proxy or durable power of attorney for health care. This allows the named person to make medical decisions if the individual is unable to do so themselves. A legal trust is a separate legal entity created to hold and manage assets for the benefit of a beneficiary. A Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) provision is a medical order that directs healthcare providers not to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if the individual’s heart stops beating or they stop breathing. A last will and testament is a legal document that outlines how an individual’s assets should be distributed after they die.

Question 18

If you were to compare the telomeres of healthy centenarians with those who have chronic illnesses (e.g., coronary heart disease, cancer, or diabetes), what would you find? Include a definition of telomeres in your explanation.

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Question 19

Recent research has shown that the shortening of telomeres is not irreversible.Provide an overview of the research that provided this insight.Are there any limitations that need to be considered? Include a definition of telomeres in your response.

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Question 20

Describe one area of research that has shown promise in reducing some of the physiological effects of aging.

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Quiz 13: Death and Afterlife Beliefs