Deck 26: Seciton 1: Epilogue

Question 1

What are the five stages of bereavement as proposed by Kübler-Ross and how definitive are they?

Answer 1

Kübler-Ross's five stages are 1) denial, 2) anger, 3) bargaining, 4) depression, and 5) acceptance. Although this bereavement cycle is frequently experienced, not all five stages always present themselves in this order, and other researchers have not found these sequential stages.

Question 2

Define a good death. Explain three steps that medical professionals can take to help individuals experience a good death.

Answer 2

A good death is 1) at the end of a long life, 2) in the presence of loved ones, and 3) may be in familiar surroundings. A good death is one that is 4) peaceful, 5) quick, and 6) without pain.
Steps that medical professionals can take to ensure a good death include: 1) talking honestly about the pros and cons of life-prolonging interventions, 2) offering pain management without worry of addiction for the terminally ill, 3) allowing for family and friends to visit freely, and 4) letting the terminally ill leave the hospital and die at home or in a hospice when there is no chance of recovery.

Question 3

There has been a great deal of media coverage regarding physician-assisted suicide. Define physician-assisted suicide and state whether you think it is acceptable. Explain your reasoning and offer a specific example to justify your response.

Answer 3

Physician-assisted suicide is the taking of one's own life by using medication provided by a doctor. Answers will vary but should reflect an understanding of whom it may help, whom it could potentially harm, and how it has impacted death and dying in areas where it is already legal.

Question 4

Define absent grief, disenfranchised grief, and incomplete grief, and identify circumstances that can lead to each.

Question 5

What is the goal of hospice care? Who does it serve? What barriers can keep people from receiving this kind of care?

Question 6

Apply the notion of "placing blame and seeking meaning" to a tragic death (or the tragic deaths of many people) that has been in the news recently. What actions did mourners take after the event?

Question 7

Name the central issues for terminally ill individuals during any three points of the life span: children, adolescents, emerging adults, adults, and elders.

Question 8

Cite at least three examples of how the process of death has changed over the past 100 years.

Question 9

Name and describe the two controversial practices that assist a person in terminating his or her own life.