Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics, Volume 20, 2000: Focus on the End of Life: Scientific and Social Issues / Edition 1

by Springer Publishing Company

Overview

The study of "the end of life" has become a major focus on medicine, the social sciences, ethics, and religion. This volume brings together the latest research on issues around death and dying, life's attributes as it nears death, planning and preparation for death, and care and intervetion-related issues. This evidence-based finding of this volume will help shape how we approach the topic for years to come.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780826113658
Publisher:	Springer Publishing Company
Publication date:	10/25/2000
Series:	Annual Review of Gerontology and Geriatrics , #19
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	326
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.00(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Lawton, M. Powell, PhD (Philadelphia Geriatric Center)

Table of Contents

1. An Overview of the End of Life, Lawton
2. Ethics and Spirituality: Strangers at the End of Life? Michael Bevins, Thomas Cole
3. Medical Decision Making Toward the End of Life: Ethical, Economic, and Health Policy Implications, Robert M. Kaplan, Diane L. Schneider
4. Quality of Life Trajectories of Elders in the End of Life, Elizabeth H. Bradley, Stanislav V. Kasl, Terri R. Fried, Ellen Idler
5. Measuring Quality of Medical Care for Dying Persons and Their Families, Joan M. Teno, Kristen McNiff, and Joanne Lynn
6. Comfort in Older Adults at the End of Life, Ann C. Hurley, Ladislav Volicer, Ellen K. Mahoney
7. Friendship at the End of Life, Brian DeVries, John A. Blando
8. Healthy Elders' Early Decisions for End-of-Life Living and Dying, Victor Cicirelli
9. Hospice and Its Role in Improving End of Life Care, Susan C. Miller, Kristen Coppola, Barbara Gage, Vincent Mor
10. End of Life in Nursing Homes, Miriam Moss
11. Clinical Aspects of End-of-Life Care, Cynthia Pan, Diane Meier
12. The Ethnography of Preparing for the End of Life, Robert Rubinstein

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gloria Jean Bonner, PhD, RN (University of Illinois at Chicago College of Nursing)
Description: This book provides an overview of information on end-of-life issues that is important for healthcare professionals to know when assisting individuals who are at the end stages of life. The issues include spirituality, medical decision making, quality of medical care, comfort care, and hospice care.
Purpose: The purpose is to bring together the latest evidence-based findings on pertinent end-of-life issues that will shape the approach to care in the future. In my opinion, this book is needed because a compilation of the most salient comprehensive empirical psychosocial data on end of life care does not exist. I am not aware of any sources that include the range of topics that are discussed in this text. It also appears that this book has met the author's objective.
Audience: This book is written for professionals and students in the social, psychological, medical, and nursing sciences.
Features: The concepts covered in the book include trajectories of the dying process, how death is defined, ways in which cognitive impairment affects the assessment of quality of the end of life, and role of nursing homes in the formulation of the meaning of death. The best features of the book are the categorization of each topic and subtopic within each chapter. The reference lists are extensive and current. The friendship at the end-of-life chapter was an interesting and unique read. One shortcoming is the book's failure to discuss or dedicate a chapter on cultural/ethnic/racial differences regarding end-of-life care.
Assessment: This is an excellent source for end-of-life care issues. It provides the reader with sufficient information to allow for further exploration or research of a given topic.

Doody's Review Service

4 Stars! from Doody

This book provides an overview of information on end-of-life issues that is important for healthcare professionals to know when assisting individuals who are at the end stages of life. The issues include spirituality, medical decision making, quality of medical care, comfort care, and hospice care. The purpose is to bring together the latest evidence-based findings on pertinent end-of-life issues that will shape the approach to care in the future. In my opinion, this book is needed because a compilation of the most salient comprehensive empirical psychosocial data on end of life care does not exist. I am not aware of any sources that include the range of topics that are discussed in this text. It also appears that this book has met the author's objective. This book is written for professionals and students in the social, psychological, medical, and nursing sciences. The concepts covered in the book include trajectories of the dying process, how death is defined, ways in which cognitive impairment affects the assessment of quality of the end of life, and role of nursing homes in the formulation of the meaning of death. The best features of the book are the categorization of each topic and subtopic within each chapter. The reference lists are extensive and current. The friendship at the end-of-life chapter was an interesting and unique read. One shortcoming is the book's failure to discuss or dedicate a chapter on cultural/ethnic/racial differences regarding end-of-life care. This is an excellent source for end-of-life care issues. It provides the reader with sufficient information to allow for further exploration or research of a given topic.

Gloria Jean Bonner