Death and Dying
Answer three of the following questions, drawing upon your choice of appropriate concepts and ideas from the book and lectures.
Your answers will be graded on the basis of creativity, persuasiveness, structure of the answer, paragraph structure, clarity of writing, and, of course, content. Remember, write like a boss!
1. What do you regard as a good death and why would you regard it as such? How is a good death defined and distinguished from death in general? What factors, in your opinion, contributed to our increasing acceptance of the notion of a good death? How does Hospice contribute to the definition of a good death? What do you see as the key benefits of Hospice and how to these benefits help with the transition from being alive to passing peacefully into that good night?
1. How does Maggie’s death in Million Dollar Baby compare/contrast with the definition of a good death? What kind of death do you regard it, and why? Do you agree with Maggie’s decision and why/why not? Provide a detailed answer to the question of why Frankie agreed to kill Maggie despite his deep religious beliefs (and against the advice of his priest?)?
1. At the end of Chapter 11 in Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking ) Joan wrote the following: Why do you always have to be right; Why do you always have to have to last word; For once in your life just let it go. In your assessment of Didion’s account of her experiences with the death and illness of her loved ones, to what, in particular, is Didion referring in regard to these questions and statement?
1. In regard to the video Being Mortal and class concepts, what factors have contributed to a change in the medical paradigm of preserving life as long as possible? Why were such changes difficult to make, given the socialization of medical students in the last Century? How and why have we accepted the notion that death is not the “enemy” on which we should “wage war” or against which we should rage?
1. Drawing on your own perspective and your choice of readings and lecture concepts, discuss you (and others that you know) manage the basic fact that we and our loved ones are mortal. How can knowledge of our (and, importantly, our loved ones’) mortality make us vulnerable and anxious? How does the study of death (even the surface study of death) help us deal with the vulnerability and anxiety associated with our (and our loved ones) deaths?
ANSWER
- A good death, in my opinion, is one in which the individual is able to pass away peacefully and with dignity. This means that they are able to die on their own terms, without unnecessary pain and suffering, and surrounded by loved ones. A good death is distinguished from death in general in that it is not sudden or unexpected, and the individual has had the opportunity to prepare for it and make their wishes known.
Factors that have contributed to our increasing acceptance of the notion of a good death include the rise of palliative care and hospice services, which focus on providing comfort and support to the dying individual and their loved ones. Additionally, the availability of advance care planning and end-of-life decision-making tools has allowed individuals to have more control over their own deaths.
Hospice care can play a crucial role in defining a good death by providing a range of services to support the individual and their loved ones during the end-of-life process. These services may include pain and symptom management, spiritual and emotional support, and assistance with end-of-life decision-making. The key benefits of hospice care are that it allows individuals to die in the comfort of their own homes, surrounded by loved ones, and with access to specialized care and support.
- Maggie’s death in Million Dollar Baby can be seen as a good death in some respects, as she is able to pass away peacefully and without suffering. However, it can also be seen as a tragic death, as she makes the decision to end her own life due to her inability to live with a debilitating injury. Whether or not one agrees with Maggie’s decision is a matter of personal opinion, but it is clear that she was faced with a difficult choice and made the decision that she felt was best for her.
As for why Frankie agreed to kill Maggie despite his deep religious beliefs, it can be speculated that he did so out of a sense of loyalty and love for his friend and protege. He may have believed that it was the best way to help her avoid further suffering, and that it was ultimately her decision to make.
- In the passage from Joan Didion’s The Year of Magical Thinking, she is referring to the difficulty of dealing with the death of a loved one and the tendency to want to hold on to control and be right in the face of such a loss. The questions and statement reflect her struggle to let go and accept the death of her loved one.
- In the video Being Mortal, the shift in the medical paradigm from preserving life at all costs to providing quality of life in the face of terminal illness has been influenced by several factors. These include advances in medical technology that have extended life expectancy, increased awareness of the limitations of aggressive medical interventions, and a growing recognition of the importance of patient autonomy and dignity in end-of-life care. The difficulty in making these changes is due in part to the socialization of medical students, who are trained to focus on cure and prolonging life, rather than on providing comfort and support for the dying.
- The knowledge of our own mortality can be a source of vulnerability and anxiety, as it forces us to confront the fact that we and our loved ones will eventually die. This can lead to fear and uncertainty about the future, as well as a sense of loss and grief for what will eventually be lost. However, the study of death can also help us to better understand and come to terms with our own mortality, and can provide us with tools and strategies for dealing with the vulnerability and anxiety associated with death. This may involve finding meaning and purpose in life, cultivating gratitude and mindfulness, and building strong connections with others who can provide support and comfort in times of need.
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