Caring for the Dying: Critical Issues at the Edge of Life (Contemporary Issues) [Paperback]

Robert M. Baird (Editor), Stuart E. Rosenbaum (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 2003 | Series: Contemporary Issues

Since 1997, when Oregon enacted a law permitting physician-assisted suicide, the public debate over end-of-life issues has turned in a new direction. A major response to this law has been increased attention to providing support for the dying in ways that lessen the felt need for assisted suicide. The result has been renewed emphasis on hospice, palliative care, and the spiritual needs of the dying, as well as on advanced directives to settle legal matters. These are the four critical issues addressed by leading experts in this outstanding collection of recent articles on this controversial topic. An underlying theme of all the contributions is that end-of-life needs vary for each individual. Awareness of this fact is crucial both for the dying and for their caregivers. The essays in this collection will help readers recognise and prepare for difficult end-of-life decisions.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...a stellar work regarding critical issues involved with dying patients and their families...Highly recommended." -- Choice, February 2004

"...a valuable resource when making decisions about end-of-life issues." -- AORN Journal, July 2004

"...excellent book [dealing] with many difficult, controversial, yet important issues that arise in the care of the dying..." -- Geriatric Nursing, May 2004

From the Inside Flap

Few things spark more heated moral debate than the idea of euthanasia, but since 1997, when Oregon enacted a law permitting physician-assisted suicide, the public discussion over end-of-life issues has shifted. A major response to this law has been increased attention to providing support for the dying in ways that lessen the felt need for assisted suicide. The result has been renewed emphasis on hospice, palliative care, and the spiritual needs of the dying, as well as on advance directives to settle legal matters. These are the four critical issues addressed by leading experts in this outstanding collection of recent articles on this controversial topic.

CARING FOR THE DYING is divided into four sections. The essays in section one clarify the role of hospice in providing care for the dying, debunk some commonly believed myths about hospice, and discuss such issues as the funding of hospice services by Medicare.

Section two focuses on palliative care, considering the complicated nature of pain, when and to what extent suffering should be alleviated, and the use of drugs in palliative intervention.

The authors in section three examine the spiritual needs of the dying and stress that caregivers must remain sensitive to the diverse traditions in which spiritual needs are rooted.

The concluding section addresses, among other things, the legal right to healthcare at the end of life, and the importance of legal measures such as the advance directive, the durable power of attorney, and litigation to modify the requirements for Medicare-funded hospice services and to remove restrictions that might impede physicians from prescribing adequate pain-management drugs.

An underlying theme of all the essays is that individuals face death and dying differently; consequently, end-of-life needs vary. Awareness of this is crucial both for the dying and for those who see to their care. The selections in this insightful volume will help readers recognize and prepare for the difficult decisions that must be faced at the end of life.

Included are offerings from experts in the fields of law, nursing, medicine, biology, and social work, as well as from representatives of Compassion in Dying, the American Hospice Foundation, the Oregon Hospice Association, and many others.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; 1 edition (January 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1573929697
• ISBN-13: 978-1573929691
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,186,122 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)