11 Death and Bereavement

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the cultural, physical, psychological, and ethical aspects of death and bereavement as discussed in the lecture notes.

Thanatology

The study of death and dying.

Mortality Revolution

The shift in death patterns due to advances in medicine, sanitation, and health consciousness, transforming death into a phenomenon primarily of late adulthood.

Hospice Care

Personal, patient- and family-centered, compassionate care for the terminally ill with a life expectancy of $6$ months or less, focused on dying in peace and dignity.

Palliative Care

Care aimed at the relief of pain and suffering, controlling symptoms, and maintaining a satisfactory quality of life for the patient.

Terminal Drop

A widely observed decline in cognitive abilities shortly before death, also known as terminal decline; losses in perceptual speed can predict death nearly $15$ years in advance.

Near-Death Experience

A subjective experience involving a sense of being out of the body or visions of bright lights, linked to the stimulation or damage of bilateral frontal and occipital brain areas.

Denial

The first stage of Kübler-Ross' stages of death, characterized by the reaction: ‘This can’t be happening to me!’

Anger

The second stage of Kübler-Ross' stages of death, characterized by the question: ‘Why me?’

Bargaining

The third stage of Kübler-Ross' stages of death, involving the plea for extra time, such as living to see a specific milestone.

Depression

The fourth stage of Kübler-Ross' stages of death, described as a low emotional state.

Acceptance

The final stage of Kübler-Ross' stages of death, characterized by a readiness to face the reality of death or loss.

Grief

The emotional response that generally follows closely on the heels of death.

Bereavement

The response to the loss of someone whom a person feels close to.

Grief Work

The working out of psychological issues connected with grief.

Recovery Pattern

A grieving pattern where the mourner moves from high to low distress.

Delayed Grief

A grieving pattern where initial grief is moderate or elevated and symptoms worsen over time.

Chronic Grief

A grieving pattern characterized by being distressed for a long period of time.

Resilience (Grieving Pattern)

A grieving pattern where the mourner shows a low and gradually diminishing level of grief in response to the death of a loved one.

Terror Management Theory

A theory suggesting that humans' unique understanding of death, combined with self-preservation needs, results in specific emotional and psychological responses when mortality is salient.

Altruistic Suicide

One of Durkheim’s types of suicide, caused by excessive social integration where individuals sacrifice their lives for the benefit of a group.

Anomic Suicide

One of Durkheim’s types of suicide, caused by low social regulation and triggered by sudden societal or personal changes that disrupt norms.

Egoistic Suicide

One of Durkheim’s types of suicide, caused by low social integration where individuals feel detached or isolated from society.

Fatalistic Suicide

One of Durkheim’s types of suicide, caused by excessive social regulation where oppressive rules or harsh conditions leave the individual with no hope.

Brain Death

A neurological condition where all electrical activity of the brain has ceased for a specific period of time.

Passive Euthanasia

The withholding or discontinuing of medical treatment, such as life support, that might extend the life of a terminally ill patient.

Active Euthanasia

Also known as ‘mercy killing,’ this involves deliberate action taken directly to shorten the life of a terminally ill person.

Advance Directive

A document, such as a living will or durable power of attorney, containing instructions for when and how to discontinue medical care.

Durable Power of Attorney

A legal document that appoints another person to make decisions if the maker becomes incompetent.

Psychache

A term introduced by Edwin Shneidman referring to unbearable psychological pain as the core cause of suicide.

Postvention

The act of providing support to the survivors of a person who has committed suicide.

Death Seekers

One of Shneidman's types of seekers; individuals who have a strong, conscious desire to die and clearly intend to end their lives at the time of the attempt.

Death Initiators

Individuals who believe death is inevitable or already occurring and act to speed up the natural outcome.

Death Ignorers

Individuals who believe suicide is a transition to a better existence and do not view death as the end of presence.

Death Darers

Individuals who are ambivalent about dying and engage in risky or impulsive behaviors that may or may not lead to death.

Life Review

A process of reminiscence that allows a person to see the significance and richness of their life within their limited lifespan.