However, other psychologists believe that not facing death until the very end is an adaptive coping mechanism for some people. This could make it difficult for the dying person to face death with dignity. It is also important to note that some psychologists believe that the more a dying person fights death, the more likely he is to remain stuck in the denial phase. In addition, not all people experience all of the stages.

Most individuals experience these stages, but the stages may occur in different orders, depending on the individual. She proposed five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. How do you think you might react if you were diagnosed with a terminal illness like cancer? Elizabeth Kübler-Ross (1969), who worked with the founders of hospice care, described the process of an individual accepting his own death. Both the patient and the patient’s family members report increased family support, increased social support, and improved coping while receiving hospice services (Godkin et al., 1984). The family member’s burden of care is also reduced (McMillan et al., 2006). Family members receive emotional support and are regularly informed of their loved one’s treatment and condition. In addition, hospice patients tend to live longer than non-hospice patients (Connor, Pyenson, Fitch, Spence, & Iwasaki, 2007 Temel et al., 2010). Hospice patients report high levels of satisfaction with hospice care because they are able to remain at home and are not completely dependent on strangers for care (Brumley et al., 2007). Research has indicated that hospice care is beneficial for the patient (Brumley, Enquidanos, & Cherin, 2003 Brumley et al., 2007 Godkin, Krant, & Doster, 1984) and for the patient’s family (Rhodes, Mitchell, Miller, Connor, & Teno, 2008 Godkin et al., 1984). Because of hospice care, many terminally ill people are able to spend their last days at home.įigure 9.21 In some cultures, people’s bodies may be buried in a cemetery after death. Today, hospice provides care for 1.65 million Americans and their families. In 1974, Florence Wald founded the first hospice in the United States.

The aim of hospice is to help provide a death with dignity and pain management in a humane and comfortable environment, which is usually outside of a hospital setting. In 1967 that reality began to change with Cicely Saunders, who created the first modern hospice in England. In contrast, until about 50 years ago in the United States, a doctor might not inform someone that they were dying, and the majority of deaths occurred in hospitals. In some cultures, death is accepted as a natural part of life and is embraced. Our culture and individual backgrounds influence how we view death. Death marks the end of your life story ( Figure 9.21). Learning Objectives By the end of this section, you will be able to:Įvery story has an ending.

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