Understanding Dying, Death, and Bereavement

by Leming, Michael R.

• ISBN13: 9780534627362
• ISBN10: 0534627366
• Edition: 6th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2010-01-01
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing

Summary

Using a social-psychological approach, this edition remains solidly grounded in theory and research, but places greater emphasis on the individual and coping with death and dying. These two well-known authors and researchers integrate stimulating personal accounts throughout the text, and apply concepts to specific examples that deal with cross cultural perspectives and the practical matters of death and dying.

Table of Contents

About the Authors	iii
Preface	v
Studying Dying, Death, and Bereavement	1	(36)
Current Interest in Death and Dying	2	(10)
Why the Increased Interest?	3	(6)
Death Education	9	(3)
Mortality Statistics	12	(6)
Death Etiology and Life Expectancy	12	(3)
Gender Differences in Mortality Rates	15	(3)
Approaches to the Study of Dying and Death	18	(14)
The Biological Approach	19	(1)
The Psychological Approach	19	(1)
The Anthropological Approach	20	(1)
The Sociological Approach	21	(11)
Conclusion	32	(1)
Summary	32	(1)
Discussion Questions	33	(1)
Glossary	34	(1)
Suggested Readings	35	(2)
The American Experience of Death	37	(42)
Defining Death	40	(4)
International Definitions	40	(1)
American Definitions	41	(3)
The Meaning of Dying and Death	44	(8)
The Social Meaning	46	(5)
The Philosophical Meaning	51	(1)
The American Experience of Death	52	(5)
Living Death (1600--1830)	53	(1)
The Dying of Death (1830--1945)	54	(2)
The Resurrection of Death (1945 to the Present)	56	(1)
Contemporary Attitudes toward Death	57	(14)
Denying Death	58	(1)
Fearing Death	59	(12)
Contemplating One's Own Death	71	(1)
Conclusion	72	(1)
Summary	73	(1)
Discussion Questions	74	(1)
Glossary	75	(1)
Suggested Readings	76	(3)
Growing Up with Death	79	(46)
Childhood	81	(15)
How Do Children Learn about Death?	81	(6)
Children's Understanding of Death	87	(5)
Explaining Death and Dying to Children	92	(4)
Adolescence	96	(7)
Identity Crisis and Death Anxiety	98	(1)
The Experience of Death in Violent Neighborhoods	99	(1)
Media Influences	100	(1)
Learning Adult Rituals	101	(1)
Communicating about Death	102	(1)
Adulthood	103	(17)
Young Adulthood	105	(1)
Middle-Aged Adulthood	106	(6)
Older Adulthood	112	(8)
Conclusion	120	(1)
Summary	121	(1)
Discussion Questions	121	(1)
Glossary	122	(1)
Suggested Readings	123	(2)
Perspectives on Death and Life after Death	125	(30)
The Need To Look beyond Death	126	(2)
Diversity in Perspectives	128	(4)
Cross-Cultural Views	128	(2)
Case Study: The Sacred World of Native Americans	130	(2)
Religious Interpretations of Death	132	(9)
Judaism	132	(2)
Christianity	134	(2)
Islam	136	(1)
Hinduism	137	(1)
Buddhism	138	(3)
Temporal Interpretations of Death	141	(1)
Symbolic Immortality	142	(3)
Near-Death Experiences	145	(5)
Defining a Near-Death Experience	146	(1)
Explaining Near-Death Experiences	147	(3)
Conclusion	150	(1)
Summary	150	(1)
Discussion Questions	151	(1)
Glossary	151	(1)
Suggested Readings	152	(3)
The Dying Process	155	(44)
Death Meanings	157	(15)
Time Meanings: Dealing with Prognosis	157	(4)
Space Meanings: Isolation and Confinement	161	(3)
Norm and Role Meanings: Expected Dying Behavior	164	(1)
Value Meanings: Reassessing the Value of Life and Death	165	(1)
Object and Self Meanings: Accepting the Self as Terminal	166	(4)
Social Situation Meanings: Definition of the Environment	170	(2)
Relating to the Dying Person	172	(11)
Medical Personnel	172	(6)
Family and Friends	178	(5)
Dying with Dignity	183	(4)
The Dying Child	187	(6)
Relating to the Dying Child	188	(2)
Helping the Child Cope with Dying	190	(1)
Parents of the Dying Child	191	(1)
Siblings of the Dying Child	192	(1)
Conclusion	193	(1)
Summary	194	(1)
Discussion Questions	194	(1)
Glossary	195	(1)
Suggested Readings	196	(3)
Living with Dying	199	(42)
Understanding and Coping with the Illness	201	(6)
The Loss of Physical Functions	201	(1)
The Loss of Mental Capacity	202	(1)
Dying of AIDS and Cancer	202	(5)
Treatment Options	207	(11)
Evaluating Treatment Options and Symptoms	207	(2)
Treating Drug Side Effects	209	(2)
Pain and Symptom Management	211	(4)
Organ Transplantations	215	(3)
Palliative Care	218	(2)
The Hospice Movement	220	(14)
The Hospice Team	222	(4)
The Patient-Family as the Unit of Care	226	(2)
The Cost of Hospice Care	228	(1)
Public Attitudes	229	(1)
Evaluation of Hospice Programs	230	(4)
Conclusion	234	(1)
Summary	235	(1)
Discussion Questions	236	(1)
Glossary	236	(1)
Suggested Readings	237	(4)
Dying in the American Health-Care System	241	(28)
The Medical Model Approach to Dying	242	(11)
Dying as Deviance in the Medical Setting	243	(2)
Normalization of Dying in the Medical Setting	245	(1)
Dying in a Technological Society	246	(2)
The Environment of the Dying Person	248	(5)
Death Education in Medical Schools	253	(5)
Developing a Sensitivity to Social/Psychological Needs	254	(1)
Developing Communication Skills	255	(3)
Public Policy and Health Needs of the Critically Ill	258	(3)
The Cost of Dying	261	(3)
Conclusion	264	(1)
Summary	265	(1)
Discussion Questions	265	(1)
Glossary	266	(1)
Suggested Readings	266	(3)
Biomedical Issues and Euthanasia	269	(40)
Ethical Behavior	271	(3)
What Is Ethical Behavior?	271	(1)
Bioethicists	272	(2)
Use of the Body in Medical Research and Training	274	(2)
Organ Transplantation	276	(3)
Euthanasia	279	(24)
Sanctity-of-Life Versus Quality-of-Life Debate	281	(5)
Passive Euthanasia	286	(5)
Active Euthanasia	291	(12)
Conclusion	303	(1)
Summary	303	(1)
Discussion Questions	304	(1)
Glossary	305	(1)
Suggested Readings	306	(3)
Suicide	309	(32)
Changing Attitudes toward Suicide	310	(3)
The Stigma of Suicide	310	(2)
Defining Suicidal Acts	312	(1)
Social Factors Involved in Suicide	313	(3)
Age, Gender, and Marital Status Factors	314	(1)
Socioeconomic and Cultural Factors	315	(1)
Theoretical Perspectives on Suicide	316	(5)
Sociological Perspectives	317	(4)
Existentialist Perspective	321	(1)
Suicide through the Life Cycle	321	(12)
Childhood Suicide	321	(1)
Adolescent Suicide	322	(7)
Adult Suicide	329	(1)
Elderly Suicide	330	(3)
Rational Suicide	333	(2)
Conclusion	335	(1)
Summary	336	(1)
Discussion Questions	337	(1)
Glossary	337	(1)
Suggested Readings	338	(3)
Diversity in Death Rituals	341	(42)
Understanding Death Rituals	342	(4)
Death Rituals as a Rite of Passage	342	(2)
Structural-Functional Explanations	344	(2)
Mourning Behaviors	346	(6)
Changes in Mourning Behaviors in the United States	349	(3)
Customs at Death	352	(17)
Norms Prior to Death	353	(1)
Preparing the Corpse	353	(8)
Final Disposition	361	(5)
Case Study: Burial and Mortuary Practices of Native Americans Living on the Plains	366	(3)
Death Rituals of Major Religious Groups	369	(9)
Jewish Customs	369	(2)
Christianity	371	(1)
Hinduism	372	(2)
Buddhism	374	(2)
Islam	376	(2)
Conclusion	378	(1)
Summary	378	(1)
Discussion Questions	379	(1)
Glossary	380	(1)
Suggested Readings	380	(3)
The Business of Dying	383	(48)
The Business of Preparing the Dead	383	(9)
The Changing American Funeral	384	(8)
The American Practice of Funeral Service	392	(7)
Education and Licensure	392	(2)
The Role of the Funeral Director	394	(2)
Funeral Expenses	396	(3)
Alternatives to the Funeral	399	(4)
New Trends in Funeral Service	403	(7)
Preneed Funerals: A ``New'' Trend in Planning Funerals	403	(4)
Aftercare: The Future Business Is To Be Found in Today's Customers	407	(2)
Funeral Services on the Internet	409	(1)
The Business of Burying the Dead	410	(6)
The Changing American Cemetery	410	(6)
Cemeteries Today	416	(6)
The Government Cemetery	416	(2)
The Not-For-Profit Cemetery	418	(1)
The For-Profit Cemetery	419	(2)
Graveyard Symbols of Death	421	(1)
Life Insurance	422	(3)
Life Insurance as Protection	424	(1)
Life Insurance as an Investment	425	(1)
Conclusion	425	(1)
Summary	426	(1)
Discussion Questions	427	(1)
Glossary	427	(1)
Suggested Readings	428	(3)
The Legal Aspects of Dying	431	(26)
Establishing the Cause of Death	432	(7)
Death Certificate	433	(1)
Autopsy	434	(4)
Coroners and Medical Examiners	438	(1)
Advance Directives	439	(6)
Living Wills	441	(2)
Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care	443	(2)
Disposition of Property	445	(7)
Intestate and Inheritance	446	(1)
Wills	446	(4)
Probate	450	(1)
Estate and Inheritance Taxes	450	(2)
Conclusion	452	(1)
Summary	452	(1)
Discussion Questions	453	(1)
Glossary	453	(1)
Suggested Readings	454	(3)
Coping with Loss	457	(38)
The Bereavement Role	457	(3)
The Grieving Process	460	(15)
Normal and Abnormal Grief	462	(1)
Stages of Grief	463	(5)
Disenfranchised Grief	468	(4)
Four Tasks of Mourning	472	(3)
Assisting the Bereaved	475	(3)
Coping with Violent Death	478	(11)
Accidents	479	(2)
Disasters	481	(4)
Murder	485	(2)
War	487	(2)
Conclusion	489	(1)
Summary	489	(1)
Discussion Questions	490	(1)
Glossary	491	(1)
Suggested Readings	491	(4)
Grieving throughout the Life Cycle	495	(30)
Grieving Parents and the Loss of a Child	495	(15)
The Loss of a Fetus or an Infant	496	(10)
The Loss of a Child	506	(3)
The Loss of an Adult Child	509	(1)
Grieving Children and Adolescents	510	(5)
Loss of a Parent	512	(2)
Loss of a Sibling	514	(1)
Loss of a Grandparent	514	(1)
Grieving Adults	515	(3)
Loss of a Spouse	515	(1)
Loss of a Parent	516	(1)
Loss of a Pet	517	(1)
Dying, Death, and Bereavement in the 21st Century: A Challenge	518	(1)
Conclusion	519	(1)
Summary	520	(1)
Discussion Questions	520	(1)
Glossary	521	(1)
Suggested Readings	521	(4)
References	525	(23)
Index	548	(25)
Credits	573