The End Stages of Life Flashcards
1
Q
factors influencing attitudes about dying
A
- personal experiences
- culture (fear of death, others look forward to/accept death)
- religion
- age (children view death as temporary)
2
Q
thanatology
A
-the study of dying, death, and bereavement
3
Q
bereavement takes many forms
A
- grief
- disenfranchised grief
- mourning
4
Q
mourning
A
- is expression of the bereaved person’s sadness
- cultural construct
- a person mourning may not feel grief
5
Q
bereavement
A
is the loss of deprevation experienced by a survivor when a loved one dies
6
Q
grief
A
is a state of mental distress that occurs in reaction to significant loss
7
Q
disenfranchised grief
A
-a person experiences a loss that cannot be openly acknowledged, publicly mourned, or socially supported
8
Q
acute grief syndrome often includes..
A
- periodic waves of physical distress lasting 20 mins to an hour
- a feeling of tightness in the throat
- choking and shortness of breath
- a frequent need to sigh
- a feeling of emptiness in the abdomen
- a sensation of muscular weakness
- intense anxiety
9
Q
what is death?
A
- process of decline in body functions
- final cessation of vital functions
- uniform determination of death act 1981
10
Q
brain death
A
is the irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain system
11
Q
who is elizabeth kubler-ross?
A
- psychiatrist that interview 200 dying patients to understand the psychological aspects of dying, grief, and bereavement/mourning
- found that people pass through stages when they die
- stages help guide clients to cope with loss
- similar to individuals adjusting to a disability
- hope persists
12
Q
5 emotional stages
A
- denial
- anger
- bargaining
- depression
- acceptance
13
Q
denial
A
- short lived stage
- distorts reality
- may avoid discussion of death
14
Q
anger
A
- requires patience
- often directed at those who are closest
15
Q
bargaining
A
- attempt to “buy more time”
- frustration and anger dissolve into depression
- turn to religious and spiritual beliefs
16
Q
depression
A
- reactive (comes from past losses, guilt, hopelessness, and shame)
- preparatory (guilt about leaving, seek reassurance about those they are leaving)
17
Q
acceptance
A
- person it too tired or weak to feel
- calm and subdued interest in life
- helps loved ones accept death
- “ive had a good life”
18
Q
common physical changes
A
- sleeping
- loss of interest in food and fluids
- coldness
- changes in skin color
- rattling sounds in lungs and throat
- bladder and bowel changes
- disorientation and restlessness
- surge of energy
- breathing pattern changes
19
Q
emotional changes
A
- withdrawal
- vision like experiences
- permission to let go
- need to say goodbye
- family and friends need to express love and gratitude
- choosing the setting
20
Q
moment of death
A
- no breathing
- no heartbeat
- eyes fixed and slightly open, w/ enlarged pupils
- jaw relaxed, with mouth slightly open
