Death and Dying:
According to your textbook, what makes for a good death?
The textbook describes a good death to be at the end of a long life, peaceful, quick, in a familiar
environment, with loved ones, and without suffering (Berger, 2016).
What percentage of people die in the hospital?
29% of people die in the hospital.
How has modern medicine influenced how people die and the end-of-life decisions that we make? What
conversations about death are taking place in families, hospitals, etc? See Table 1 and Figure 4 of your
textbook in addition to this TEDTalk (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site.. Make sure to
discuss and cite the TEDTalk in your answer for full credit: (Saul, 2011).
Modern medicine, specifically intensive care, has influenced death in many ways. It has prolonged the
onset of illness or death, it occurs more often in hospitals than at home, and the causes have
significantly changed. However, it often times overlooks the wishes and preferences of the dying
individual. It was found that individuals experience seven times more stress throughout the dying
process in intensive care than if they were at home (Saul, 2011). Due to a lack of acknowledgement of
what the dying individual’s desires in conversations between family and doctors, older adults often have
little control over the dying process and confusion regarding decision-making and arrangements seems
to arise. However, some care providers, such as at John Hunter Hospital, are trying to increase the
conversations between doctors, patients, and their families regarding the dying process, as well as
