This chapter covers many topics including a death-denying society,
fear of death, living fully until death, care of the dying in hospitals, a
matter of choice, informed consent to treatment, funerals, facing and preparing
for death, and bereavement. Death-denying society refers to when individuals
avoid using the term died because it gives an uncomfortable feeling and some
may consider it too direct (Hillier and Barrow, 2011). Most people use passed
away or passed on because it is not as direct as died. Fear of death is a
common and normal feeling that most humans struggle with throughout their
lives. The fear of death is understood by one of these theories including, fear
of pain and suffering, fear of the unknown, fear of nonexistence, fear of
eternal punishment, fear of loss of control, and fear of what will become of
loved ones. These are all common beliefs or fears of what people experience as
they fear death. According to Hillier and Barrow (2011) “Family support is
crucial to the dying person. It is likewise important to family members who
will survive their loved one’s death” (p. 380). It is essential for family
member to have good relationships with their sick and dying loved ones in order
for everyone to stay in a healthy and positive relationship which helps the
individual live fully until death. Funerals and the loss of a loved one and
family member “can be the most tragic even a person experiences in a lifetime”
(Hillier and Barrow, 2011). All of these topics relate to the aging individual
and how they prepare for death. This chapter gave key points for making advance
directives and preparing for the future.
This learner agrees with family support being crucial to the dying person. It is likewise important to family members who will survive their loved one’s death. Experiencing death with someone who is very important in someone’s life is hard especially if is the first experience with death. This learner has never noticed the term pass away and died. It is odd that as society decides that one term sounds less caring than another, society follows without question. Society not discussing death is very common and more noticeable now that this learner has matured.
ReplyDeleteThis learner finds that it is important to know about death even as a child. Death of pets, grandparents, or even a friend needs to be introduced before death is present. This learner feels that it is better to understand to an extent than to bombard with disaster. This learner starts discussing death to her children to begin the process of death at an early age.
I agree with your post, in a time of need the dying person needs to be surrounded around loved ones who truly care. Yes there are those family members that often get mad at the patient for the simple fact that they are leaving them and isn't going to be in their lives anymore. And often feelings are sometimes unsaid because of the hurt and the wrong things are said. My mom always told me that "your supposed to cry when a new born arrives and celebrate when a aged person is going to a better place."
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