Aging: Decisions at the End of Life

by David N. Weisstub (Editor), David C. Thomasma (Editor), S. Gauthier (Editor), G.F. Tomossy (Editor)

Overview

Decisions at the End of Life is the last volume in a trilogy on Aging conceived for the International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine. Leading scholars from a range of disciplines examine some of the most emotive topics in the study of aging: assessing quality of life, improving end-of-life care, palliative care, euthanasia, and consent to research.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781402001826
Publisher:	Springer Netherlands
Publication date:	11/30/2001
Series:	International Library of Ethics, Law, and the New Medicine , #12
Edition description:	2001
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x 0.36(d)

Table of Contents

Quality of Life.- How we think (deeply but with limits) about quality of life: The necessity of wisdom for aging.- Ethics and quality of life in the elderly.- Palliative Care.- Palliative care: A weak link in the chain of civilized life.- Assisted Death.- Assisted death in the Netherlands and its relationship with age.- Why euthanasia should not be legalized: A reflection on the Dutch experiment.- Managing death: End-of-life charades and decisions.- Challenges and dilemmas in the “aging and euthanasia” policy cocktail.- Suicide.- End-of-life decisions in terminal illness: A psychiatric perspective.- Suicide: Implications for an aging society.- Research Ethics.- Research on elderly subjects: Striking the right balance.- Community consent for research on the impaired elderly.- Regulating ethical research involving cognitively impaired elderly subjects: Canada as a case study.

Editorial Reviews

Twelve papers address five topic areas of medical ethics in relation to aging: quality of life, palliative care, euthanasia, suicide, and research ethics. The papers are broadly focused on ideal ethical practice, but also critically examine current practice. The authors represented often take differing stances towards the issues, with a particular divergence on such controversial issues as the legalization of assisted suicide. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)