A good death

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A Good Death

Camilla Wisbauer
Fort Hays University

SOC355 Sociology Of Death and Dying
Rose Arnold
April 27, 2014

Abstract
This paper will explore what would entail “A good Death”. I will discuss Pain Control, No Excessive Treatment, Retention Of Decision Making By The Patient, Support For The Dying Patient And His/Her Family And Friends, Communication Among All Parties And Acts Done Out Of Love That Make Dying More Difficult. I will make references from The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying, 9th Edition by DeSpelder, Lynn Ann; Strickland and Albert Lee and the “On Your Own” PBS series narrated by Bill Moyer. Keywords: death, dying, palliative, …show more content…

Hospitalization is also something that needs to be discussed in advance. Many terminally ill people do not want any more surgeries or tests done. They want to avoid hospitals except to relieve suffering.
Specific treatments are also important to discuss in an early state of illness. Many patients fear breathing by machine or getting artificial hydration and nutrition. If the patient wants to forgo these treatments, he can write that down in advance.
Support for the dying patient and his/her family There are different kinds of support for the dying and their family. The most important part is that everyone involved receives support. For the dying patient there are many different points of support. There are family members and friends, physicians, therapists and hospice workers. Important things to do for a dying individual is being there, listening, helping with death planning, touching, talking and assisting with arrangements. Hospice assist patients with emotional and spiritual support as well as palliative care. “The mission of hospice care goes beyond the physical and seeks to relieve suffering by caring for all of a patient’s needs: physical, psychological, spiritual, and existential.” “We take our elders and put them away not to see their pain instead of greeting death at the door” says Frank Ostoteski at Zen Hospice. Frank continues to explain that they “focus on the

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