A Good Death Is More About The Journey Than The Destination
"I was reluctant to force the issue. What remained unsaid came with its own set of consequences." (Continue reading ...)
Don’t Let The Patient Die
"'Don’t let the patient die'… is that the right thing or the wrong thing for a given patient? It is time for physicians to think that through more completely and allow, perhaps, a different answer." (Continue reading ...)
Solo Aging: Who Will Take Care of Me When I’m Dying?
"No one is born into this world alone, and in the best of circumstances, no one dies alone. With people living longer than ever before, however, outliving family and friends is a modern-day reality." (Continue reading ...)
Pro Choice To The End Of Life
"Why would an anti-MAiD activist try to force a patient about whom they know nothing, to live by the activist’s personal values rather than the patient’s own?" (Continue reading ...)
Dying Badly In The ICU
"The sentence that sent my blood pressure skyward was this: 'Even if my patients are beyond pain, there is also a cost to those who are forced to perform emergency efforts that is just that: a performance.'” (Continue reading ...)
‘Til Death Do Us Part!
Death. Mortality. End of Life. Something inevitable, yet rarely discussed and a source of intense discomfort for most. When mentioned, it is considered inauspicious and rude in many cultures. Death is an integral part of the workday for a Critical Care Physician like me. But it was never a topic of discussion in Medical School or training. (Continue reading ...)
A Jewish Interpretation Of Death With Dignity: Seven Teachings
Jewish law states the dying are to be considered, for legal purposes, “like one who is alive for every purpose”, capable of wielding the same power over their lives until their very last moments, as they did in their days of health. (Continue reading ...)
When The End Is Near For A Loved One With Dementia
Most view dementia as a person leaving them. But they’re not. They’re evolving into a new person, similar but not exact. Their capacity to perform tasks and retain memory of recent events doesn’t disqualify them from continuing to be loved and treated with dignity and respect, especially when the end is near. (Continue reading ...)
“If I Were A Dog …”
Had she been the family's beloved old Labrador or suffering Boston Terrier, we would have taken her to the vet for a final loving, humane act, a choice unavailable to her family, doctors, or caregivers. (Continue reading ...)
What Does A “Good Death” Really Mean?
Although many individuals shy away from contemplating the inevitability of death, most would agree that they would like to die well. A new review of existing literature, published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, asks what makes a “good death” according to those involved in the process. (Continue reading ...)