1. AttitudesAttitudes
toward Deathtoward Death
““Life becomes transparent againstLife becomes transparent against
the background of death.”the background of death.”

2. IntroductionIntroduction
 As part of the human experience,As part of the human experience,
death has moved from being adeath has moved from being a
normal event to a medical eventnormal event to a medical event
 Our society can be described asOur society can be described as
“death - denying”“death - denying”

5. Death TalkDeath Talk
•• Gone on to heavenGone on to heaven •• Laid to restLaid to rest •• Taking the dirt napTaking the dirt nap
•• ExpiredExpired •• Pushing up daisiesPushing up daisies •• On the other sideOn the other side
•• Breathed her lastBreathed her last •• Called homeCalled home •• The big sleepThe big sleep
•• SuccumbedSuccumbed •• Bit the dustBit the dust •• Bought the farmBought the farm
•• Left usLeft us •• He’s a gonerHe’s a goner •• Passed awayPassed away
•• LostLost •• Six feet underSix feet under •• PassedPassed
•• WastedWasted •• Everlasting peaceEverlasting peace •• Out of her miseryOut of her misery
•• Checked outChecked out •• Went to a new lifeWent to a new life •• Gone to gloryGone to glory
•• Kicked the bucketKicked the bucket •• In the great beyondIn the great beyond •• Resting in peaceResting in peace
•• No longer with usNo longer with us •• A long sleepA long sleep •• Returned to dustReturned to dust
•• Eternal restEternal rest •• Made the changeMade the change •• Went to his eternalWent to his eternal
•• Walking with theWalking with the •• Went to be withWent to be with rewardreward
angelsangels her Makerher Maker •• Paying a debt to naturePaying a debt to nature

6. Relating to the terminallyRelating to the terminally
illill
Acknowledging their fearsAcknowledging their fears
 of helplessnessof helplessness
 of being aloneof being alone
 of being deadof being dead
 of pain and sufferingof pain and suffering
 of being a burdenof being a burden
 of humiliationof humiliation
 of unfinished businessof unfinished business

7. Relating to theRelating to the
terminally illterminally ill
Acknowledging their fearsAcknowledging their fears
 of separation from loved onesof separation from loved ones
 of care of those left behindof care of those left behind
 of punishmentof punishment
 of impairment or limitationsof impairment or limitations
 of the unknownof the unknown
 of financial ruinof financial ruin
 of loss of emotional controlof loss of emotional control

8. Relating to the terminallyRelating to the terminally
illill
Acknowledging personal insecurityAcknowledging personal insecurity
 Specific personality traitsSpecific personality traits
 Our own story intersects theirs atOur own story intersects theirs at
pointspoints
 We enter health care for our ownWe enter health care for our own
help/therapyhelp/therapy
 More comfortable with "tasks" ofMore comfortable with "tasks" of
caring than "relational" aspects ofcaring than "relational" aspects of
caringcaring

9. Relating to theRelating to the
terminally illterminally ill
Affirming the “work of dying”Affirming the “work of dying”
 RememberingRemembering
 ReassessingReassessing
 ReconcilingReconciling
 ReunitingReuniting

10. Relating to theRelating to the
terminally illterminally ill
Understanding dynamics of griefUnderstanding dynamics of grief
 DenialDenial
 AngerAnger
 BargainingBargaining
 DepressionDepression
 AcceptanceAcceptance

11. “Death borders upon our birth, and our cradle stands in the grave.
Our birth is nothing but our death begun.” (Bishop Hall)
“Life is pleasant. Death is peaceful. It’s the transition that’s
troublesome.” (Isaac Asimov)
“I shall die of having lived.” (Willa Cather)
“If a man hasn’t discovered something he will die for, he isn’t fit to
live.” (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
“If you should die before me, ask if you could bring a friend.”
(Stone Temple Pilots)
“Learn as if you were going to live forever. Live as if you were going to
die tomorrow.” (Unknown)
“What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have
done for others and the world remains and is immortal.” (Albert Pike)
“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”
(Psalm 116.15)