facing death
I don’t know how to handle this Psychology question and need guidance.
Website link: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/facing-de…
Questions for Reflection Paper #1 – Facing Death (Frontline, 2010).[3-4 pages]
1) What are your thoughts on when it’s appropriate to stop treatment and allow natural death?Please include what you would want for yourself.
2) What are the wishes of a loved one to whom you would serve the role of assisting with their decisions with end of life care or in acting as their healthcare agent?
3) In the video, one of the interviewed physician specialists says that medical research “pushes to the edge to make advances.”Patients under treatment allow themselves to be “pushed to the edge” in their pursuit to live.In what ways do you think that medical treatment and/or research may work in opposition to having a “good death” or might increase suffering despite its goal to decrease it?
4) One of the doctors interviewed says that she “always offers a treatment,” and would not do otherwise.Do you think she’s right?Is there another way to approach patients in offering options?
5) What role do you think that cost of care should play in decision-making about continuing treatment or pursuing end of life/palliative care instead of curative care?
6) In the film the following statements are used: “It’s scary to do nothing,” and “Stopping means having to acknowledge death is near.”What do you think of these statements?Do you agree or disagree?Is there another way to frame making treatment choices?
7) Should treatment be focused on prolonging life or improving life?What leads you to fall on the side you chose?
