Introduction: A Matter of Life and Death

Abstract

(from the introduction) This volume brings together scholars and practitioners from various disciplines-social workers, sociologists, psychologists, physicians, ethicists, political scientists, nurses, and others-to assess the current state of efforts to plan in advance for dying and death and suggest paths toward a more effective approach to death education and end-of-life (EOL) care. The essays in the book are organized into five parts. Part I details the history and current status of advance directives (ADs) and their use in EOL planning and care, focusing on current challenges, including resistance to talking about death and dying, legal and ethical issues, the problem of over treatment, and the cultural and spiritual considerations around EOL care. In Part II, authors discuss a variety of innovative ways or best practices to facilitate meaningful conversations about EOL, and Part III highlights successful initiatives in ACP. Part IV presents some big picture ideas about the kind of ethical view, leadership philosophy, and community development orientation it will take to undertake the kind of cultural transformation necessary to create a new way to deal with dying, death, loss, and care. Finally, Part V presents selected resources on death and dying, ACP, and palliative care. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved)