End-of-life care

Physician-Assisted Suicide - History and States Update Facing the end of life is a difficult issue both for the person nearing the end of their life and their family. Death is inevitable, people hope the end of a person’s life will come with peace and very little, or no pain. Unfortunately, that is not the case for many people. Chronic diseases and cancer are common today which may lead to suffering and pain prior to death. This has caused more discussion and interest regarding…

that waiting game is not an obstacle to terminally ill patients. “Physician-assisted suicide is the practice of providing a competent patient with a prescription for medication for the patient to use with the primary intention of ending his or her own life” (MedicineNet). In 1997 the United States Supreme Court ruled that physician assisted suicide is not a constitutional right; changing their ruling in 2006 the court decided that the choice should be up to the states (Pickert). This is giving…

should have the right to terminate their life with a physician’s assistance to prevent future and prolonged suffering. On the opposing side, it is morally unethical for a health care provider to provide assisted euthanasia on the grounds that the practice in contraindicated within their standard of care in that it is a physician’s obligation to preserve life. Which brings me to the heated debate, should the terminally ill have the right to end their life with the assistance of a physician?…

Alzheimer's Care: The Stages of Alzheimers Alzheimer's disease is a progressive form of dementia that erodes the memories and cogntive skills of tens of millions of Americans every year. While this degenerative brain disorder follows a standard path of progression, no two seniors will have the same experience. For those providing Alzheimer's care, it is important to understand the stages of the disease, although there are a number of factors that impact the speed at which a person will go…

collaborative, multidisciplinary approach for to care the dementia patients. The general practitioners and practice or community nurses for coordinating care from diagnosis to end of life care, ensuring patients and family receive the right management and timely information. Moreover, a best practice pathway…

death. Referring to the quote above, even if we were to die before the end of the world, one would still worry about the future of their loved ones, friends, and children and adults who have not lived their lives to their full potential yet. Why? Because we care about the lives and deaths of others, even those we do not know. Also, if the doomsday scenario was real, the human race would no longer exist, so why wouldn’t someone care about the lives of others? The fact that we have these…

Thesis Palliative/Hospice Care: Necessity or Extension of Healthcare: a topic chosen to obtain clarity of services, while questioning who is benefiting, patients or the healthcare system. I. Introduction: The Historical Roots of Hospice In Homeric times (8th century B.C.), all Greeks without exception were regarded as being under the protection of Zeus Xenios, the god of strangers and supplicants. A wanderer would be treated as a guest and offered food, shelter, clothing, and gifts…

Physician assisted suicide, euthanasia, and withdrawal of life support are the topics of a controversial discussion in the medical field. Many physicians do not believe in PAS because it is against their morals. The patient’s family may also advocate for end of life care, but that is ultimately the patient’s decision. There are now five states that participate in the Death with Dignity act within the United States. Physician assisted suicide is a highly controversial topic since it was first…

In the article ‘Hospice Care and Theology for Patients at the End of Life’, by Tara Flanagan, it discusses hospice, hospitality, and different models of care popular today. Included in the article is the comparison of the Biosocial model of care and the Biomedical model of care, for patients near or expecting death. According to the work of Kearney and Dorothee, it is suggested that demonstrating hospitality in the sense of interpreting pain is less successful than ‘hosting’ pain. Hospitality…

what they valued in life by resolving an internal conflict. While each character faced a different struggle they both valued family in the end. Kino experiences a change in what is valued in life. Kino’s values change once he found the pearl. When he found the pearl he was more focused on the money that came from the pearls worth instead on focusing on stuff for his family and things they needed not what they wanted. Before Kino found the pearl he showed more love and care for his family…