Lesson 10: Death and Dying Flashcards
How is death defined according to the Uniform Determination of Death Act (UDDA)?
Death is defined as either the irreversible cessation of circulatory and respiratory functions or the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem.
What are the physical changes that occur weeks before passing?
Minimal appetite, increased weakness, incontinence, restlessness, disorientation, and increased need for assistance with care.
What is social death?
Social death occurs when others dehumanize or withdraw from someone who is terminally ill, often ignoring or making decisions without consulting them.
Why might people dehumanize or withdraw from terminally ill individuals?
To protect themselves from feelings of inadequacy or the reality of death.
What role does social support play in terminal illness?
Social support improves quality of life and prevents the isolation associated with social death.
What were the leading causes of death in the United States in 2015?
Heart disease, cancer, and chronic lower respiratory diseases.
How do causes of death differ between high-income and low-income countries?
High-income countries see more deaths from chronic diseases, while low-income countries face more deaths from infectious diseases and complications of childbirth.
What percentage of deaths in high-income countries occur among people aged 70 or older?
About 70%.
What are the top causes of death among children in low-income countries?
Lower respiratory infections, diarrheal diseases, malaria, and tuberculosis.
How has tobacco use contributed to global mortality?
Tobacco is a leading hidden cause behind diseases such as heart disease and chronic lung diseases.
Where do most Americans die?
In hospitals, though this trend has been declining.
How does the location of death vary internationally?
In Japan, 78% of deaths occur in hospitals, while in China only 20% do.
What is the trend for older adults dying in residential care?
The rate increases by 10% for each decade after age 65.
Why do more women than men die in residential care?
Women tend to live longer and are more likely to require long-term care.
What factors influence the location of death?
Cultural preferences, healthcare access, and insurance coverage for hospice care.
How do infants perceive death?
They do not comprehend death but react to separation by becoming sluggish and quiet.
What is the understanding of death in early childhood?
Young children see death as temporary and reversible, often blaming themselves for the loss.
At what age do children begin to understand the finality of death?
By late childhood, around age 9.
How do adolescents perceive death?
They understand death abstractly and may feel invincible, leading to risky behaviors.
Why do those in late adulthood have less fear of death?
They have fewer caregiving responsibilities and more life experiences, reducing anxiety about death.
What is curative care?
Treatment aimed at overcoming disease and promoting recovery.
How does palliative care differ from curative care?
Palliative care focuses on comfort and relief from pain, not curing the illness.
What are the basic elements of hospice care?
Pain management, support for patients and families, coordination of services, and bereavement counseling.
What is required for a patient to enter hospice care?
A terminal diagnosis with an expected death within six months.
How do cultural differences affect views on hospice care?
Some cultures prioritize medical treatment until death, while others avoid discussing death entirely.
What is an advanced directive?
A legal document that outlines a person’s end-of-life care preferences.
What is a living will?
A written or video statement detailing desired medical treatments in specific circumstances.
What is a durable power of attorney for health care?
A legal document naming someone to make healthcare decisions if the person is incapacitated.
What is a Physician Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment (POLST)?
A medical order detailing a patient’s preferences for treatments like resuscitation.
Why might non-white populations have lower rates of completing advanced directives?
Distrust in the healthcare system and cultural beliefs.
How do cultural attitudes affect truth-telling about terminal illness?
In some cultures, families or doctors may conceal terminal diagnoses to avoid distress.
What is the perspective of many Asian cultures on illness?
Illness is seen as a family event, with decisions made collectively.
How do Mexican-American families typically approach end-of-life decisions?
Decisions are often seen as a shared family responsibility.
What role do doctors play in end-of-life decisions in non-Western cultures?
Doctors often make decisions in collaboration with families.
How do attitudes toward stopping treatment vary by race in the U.S.?
Whites are more likely to prefer stopping treatment, while Blacks and Hispanics often prefer continuing it.
What is active euthanasia?
Intentionally causing death through actions like administering lethal drugs.
What is passive euthanasia?
Withdrawing life-sustaining treatments to allow natural death.
What is physician-assisted suicide?
A physician provides means for a person to end their own life, typically via prescribed drugs.
Which countries allow physician-assisted suicide?
Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Canada.
What are common arguments against euthanasia?
Concerns about a “slippery slope,” religious objections, and potential abuse.
How are Hindu funerals conducted?
Bodies are cremated, and ashes are dispersed in holy rivers if possible.
What is “sitting shiva” in Judaism?
A period of mourning where family members gather to receive visitors after burial.
What is the Islamic requirement for burial?
Bodies are shrouded and buried directly in the earth, facing Mecca.
What are the three parts of Roman Catholic funeral rites?
The wake, funeral mass, and graveside blessing.
Why are funeral rites significant?
They provide closure, honor the deceased, and mark a transition for survivors.
What is grief?
The normal process of reacting to loss, including emotional and physical responses.
What is bereavement?
The period after a loss during which grief and mourning occur.
What is mourning?
The cultural practices and rituals for adapting to loss.
What are the five stages of grief according to Kübler-Ross?
Denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance.
What is the dual-process model of grieving?
It alternates between focusing on the loss and adapting to life without the deceased.
Why is losing a child particularly distressing?
It causes intense grief and is associated with higher risks of depression and physical illness.
How does the loss of parents in adulthood typically affect individuals?
It results in less suffering compared to the loss of a child, but men living with their mothers may experience greater difficulty.
What challenges are associated with childhood grief?
Long-term effects include substance abuse, depression, and school difficulties.
What are Worden’s four tasks of mourning?
Accepting the loss, working through grief, adjusting to life without the deceased, and starting anew while maintaining a connection.
How can support groups aid grieving individuals?
They reduce isolation, provide coping strategies, and connect individuals with shared experiences.
Why is societal acknowledgment of grief important?
It allows individuals the time and support needed to process loss effectively.
What are anticipatory grief and its benefits?
Grieving before a death, which helps prepare survivors emotionally and logistically.
What is disenfranchised grief?
Grief that is not socially recognized, such as after the death of a pet or ex-spouse.
How do childhood explanations of death influence coping?
Clear, age-appropriate explanations prevent confusion and undue anxiety.
Why is it important to view death as part of the lifespan?
It fosters better support for the dying, the grieving, and society as a whole.
