DB 8 AND DB 9

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ESSENTIALS OF LIFE-SPAN DEVELOPMENT, 5e
JOHN W. SANTROCK

DEATH, DYING, AND GRIEVING

Chapter Outline

Defining death and life/death issues
Death and sociohistorical, cultural contexts
Facing one’s own death
Coping with the death of someone else

Defining Death and Life/Death Issues

Over the years, determining death has become more complex
Brain death
All electrical activity of brain has ceased for a specified period of time
Flat EEG reading
Most physicians include higher cortical functions and lower brain stem functions
Some supporters of adopting cortical death policy

Defining Death and Life/Death Issues

Advance care planning
Patient communicates preference for end-of-life care
All 50 states accept an advance directive, such as living will
Legal document specifies whether life-sustaining procedures should be used to prolong life
Physicians Orders for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)
Translates treatment preferences into medical orders
Involves health care professionals in advance care planning

Defining Death and Life/Death Issues

Euthanasia
Painless ending of life of those suffering from incurable disease or severe disability
Passive euthanasia – withholding treatment
Active euthanasia – death is deliberately induced
Assisted suicide
Legal in 4 European countries
No official U.S. policy, decision left up to each state
Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, New Mexico, and California allow assisted suicide
Notable cases – Terri Schiavo, Jack Kevorkian

Defining Death and Life/Death Issues

Death in America
Scientific advances to delay the inevitable
Lack of training in adequate end of life care or its importance
“Good death” – involves physical comfort, support from loved ones, and appropriate medical care
Hospice
Program committed to making end of life as free from pain, anxiety, and depression as possible
Emphasis on palliative care – reduced pain and suffering, helping die with dignity
Goals contrast with hospital care

Death and Sociohistorical, Cultural Contexts

Changing historical circumstances
Older adults account for approximately ⅔ of deaths in U.S.
Perspectives on death, dying, grieving based on older adults
Location of death
More than 80% of deaths occur in institutions or hospitals
Care for the dying
Shifted away from the family
Minimized exposure to death

Death and Sociohistorical, Cultural Contexts

Death in different cultures
Cultural variations in the experience of, and attitudes about, death
Various philosophical or religious beliefs about death, rituals surrounding death
In most societies, death is not viewed as the end of existence
Spirit is believed to live on
Americans as death avoiders and death deniers
Funeral industry glosses over death, fashions lifelike qualities of dead
Endless search for the “fountain of youth”
Rejection and isolation of the elderly

Facing One’s Own Death

Kübler-Ross’ stages of dying
Denial and isolation: Person denies that death is really going to take place
Anger: Person recognizes that denial can no longer be maintained
Bargaining: Person develops the hope that death can be postponed or delayed
Depression: Dying person comes to realize the certainty of death
Acceptance: Person develops a sense of peace, an acceptance of one’s fate, and in many cases, a desire to be left alone

Figure 17.2 - Kübler-Ross’ Stages of Dying

Facing One’s Own Death

Perceived control may be an adaptive strategy for remaining alert and cheerful
Denial insulates and allows one to avoid coping with intense feelings of anger and hurt
Can be maladaptive depending on extent

Communicating With a Dying Person

Psychologists support open awareness for dying individual
Significant others should know their loved one is dying as well
Importance of open communication with a dying person
Can close their lives in accord with their own ideas about proper dying
May be able to complete plans and projects, make arrangements and decisions
Opportunity to reminisce and converse with others
Better understanding of what is happening to them

Grieving

Grief
Emotional numbness, disbelief, separation anxiety, despair, sadness, and loneliness that accompany the loss of someone we love
Feelings occur repeatedly shortly after a loss, become more manageable over time
Most survivors experience normal or uncomplicated grief reactions
Complicated grief/prolonged grief disorder includes enduring and unresolved despair over an extended period of time
Disenfranchised grief – socially ambiguous loss that cannot be openly mourned or supported

Grieving

Coping and type of death
Impact of death on surviving individuals is strongly influenced by the circumstances under which the death occurs
Sudden deaths are likely to have more intense and prolonged effects on surviving individuals
Death of a child can be especially difficult for parents

Making Sense of the World

Grieving stimulates individuals to try to make sense of their world
Reliving of the events leading to the death, shared memories, and reminiscing among family members are common experiences
When a death is caused by an accident or a disaster, the effort to make sense of it is often pursued more vigorously

Losing a Life Partner

Death of an intimate partner brings profound grief
In U.S., 13% of men and 40% of women ages 65+ were widowed
Financial loss, loneliness, increased physical illness, and psychological disorders, including depression, often experienced
Social support helps to adjust to death of a spouse
Widow-to-Widow program provides support for newly widowed women
Adopted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and numerous community organizations

Forms of Mourning

Significant increase in cremation
In U.S., approximately 42% of deaths followed by cremation
Funerals are an important aspect of mourning in many cultures
Critics claim exploitation in the funeral industry
Cultures vary in how they practice mourning
Family and community may have important roles in mourning process