On Death and Dying: What the Dying Have to Teach Doctors, Nurses, Clergy, and Their Own Family

Death is something that happens to everyone, yet our society has trouble dealing with it. Just a century ago, death was a much more common occurrence. Infant mortality, infectious diseases and war all contributed to deaths. Even on a farm, people were able to witness more frequent animal deaths. Today we are very isolated from death. Medicine has evolved to help prevent many types of death. This has left us unprepared for death when it does occur.

Today death is often discovered in the context of a medical setting. Tests done in a hospital are used to determine if death is imminent. This leaves doctors in a key role of communicating the news. Medical professionals need to listen to patients and be honest in their communications. This can be very difficult for them and is often outside their realm of expertise. Communication of "months to live" is often misleading. Each person is different and time left can vary significantly. Religion tends to be very helpful in end of life scenarios. Sometimes people are ready to die. Other times they want to keep fighting. It is important to focus on the needs of the patient and help others to understand. We should also communicate well with children. Hiding key points from them can just make it more difficult in the long run.