Matters of Death

Matters of Death

What is death?
1. Death is the end of life, medically defined as when the brain stops functioning
Is it the end?
1. Christianity
  1. You go to heaven or hell depending on how you lived your life
2. Islam
  1. There is a state of waiting (Barzakh) where it is decided whether or not you will go to paradise
3. Buddhism
  1. Believe in rebirth, your life force (karma) is reborn into another level
The Elderly
1. Attitudes
  1. Problems
    1. Have to rely on state pension and benefits
    2. More likely to have health problems
    3. May be less mobile and have to rely on younger people
    4. May feel worthless
    5. May be lonely when their friends have died
    6. May feel like a burden
2. Who?
  1. Community options
    1. Sheltered housing
      1. Small flat in a complex of others
      2. A warden's on hand in case of emergency
    2. Residential homes
      1. Residents have their own bedroom, communal lounge and dining room
      2. Activities are often arranged
    3. Illness
      1. Care homes
      2. Hospitals for short-term treatment
      3. Hospices for terminal illnesses
  2. Family
    1. Favoured especially by Muslims
  3. At home
    1. Meals on wheels can deliver hot food
    2. If family has moved away may have to rely on phone calls
    3. Someone can help with the housework
3. Religion
  1. Buddhism
    1. Good karma to look after parents
    2. Respected for wisdom and experience
      1. A privilege
    3. "Right action"
  2. Christianity
    1. Should be respected and are vunerable
    2. Allow the elderly to keep their independence
    3. "Love your neighbour"
  3. Islam
    1. Elderly parents have a right to expect their children to look after them
    2. Provides spiritual growth
    3. Homes are seen as unkind and disrespectful
Euthenasia
1. Religion
  1. Buddhism
    1. Suffering should be accepted
    2. Creates bad karma
    3. Breaks the First precept
  2. Christianity
    1. God gave freewill to do it
    2. Believe in sanctity of life so no
    3. God wouldn't want his people to suffer
  3. Islam
    1. Only Allah can take life
      1. Against God's plan
    2. Passive euthanasia is compassionate
2. Types
  1. Voluntary
    1. A person asks a doctor to end their life
  2. Non-voluntary
    1. The person is to ill to ask but it is in their best intrests
  3. Involuntary
    1. People killed without consultation
      1. E.g. Nazi Germany
  4. Passive
    1. Where treatment is withheld because it is only delaying natural death
  5. Active
    1. Giving a drug to end life
Keeping people alive
1. Life-support machine
  1. Used with the hope that the person will one day recover and be able to survive on their own again
  2. All religions agree with turning off life support machines for those who are brain dead
2. Defribilators
  1. Restart people hearts
3. Insulin
  1. Simple medication to control diabetes
Dying and Bereaved
1. Hospice
  1. Provide palliative care for the dying
  2. Pastoral support is given to family and friends and the patient themselves
  3. Can die with dignity
  4. There are hospices for children that focus on keeping their lives as normal as possible

Next up

Description

Resource summary

Similar

	Created by Lara Coffin almost 11 years ago