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Last Rights: Rescuing the End of Life from the Medical System
"This country is fairly crowded with doctors, families, and patients--all possessed of good intentions--failing to achieve the simple goal of allowing people to die with dignity and grace."
In the 1970s, most Americans died swiftly and brutally: of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, or in accidents. But in the past three decades,medical advances have extended our lives and cha...more
In the 1970s, most Americans died swiftly and brutally: of heart attacks, strokes, cancer, or in accidents. But in the past three decades,medical advances have extended our lives and cha...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
November 14th 2006
by St. Martin's Press
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Sep 12, 2008
Leslie
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anybody who wants a snapshot of death with chronic disease in the U.S. today
Recommended to Leslie by:
Laura Yudusky
This book is a fair assessment of many of the problems with dying in the U.S. right now. Although I hope that some of it is out-of-date (ignoring advanced directives is unconscionable), it addresses many of the inadequacies of physician education, public awareness, and physician-patient communication that make end-of-life care so often an alienating, painful experience. When we as medical practitioners can overcome our fears of patients' reactions, of our own feelings, and of professional censur...more
I read this for my Death and Dying class a couple of semesters ago and feel obligated to get the word out. With this book the author exposes devastating flaws in the way our medical system approaches and handles death and dying patients. He argues for a more holistic approach, embracing hospice the like. As a social work student and a member of a generation whom will be dealing with a dramatic increase of aged persons, I find this book really highlights some invaluable issues.
So-so. I get that this was a really smart guy that almost didn't make it. He was in a coma, and his brain shouldn't have been working. So he attributes what happened to him as a heaven. But it is so unlike any other account of near-death experiences that I wonder about it. The heaven he experiences has a beautiful woman, but where are all the other people? He talks about a higher form of consciousness "there," and is clearly ecstatic about it, but if that's all heaven is, it sounds like it would...more
Being a hospice nurse I was lucky to hear this man speak!!! He is incredible and totally gets it!! It's hard for families and pts at the end of life, but this book shows that it doesn't have to be a bad experience. Hospice is not scary it's help! Please Please read this book!!!
Lots of anecdotal evidence that supports health care reform and "end-of-life" discussions with our doctors.
not quite a sad read... interesting how this book confirms some of my thoughts on dying and how we treat people. I would say that this book for the people ready to "let go" and not for the fighters.
A Weinstein recommendation. Powerful, and painful at times, to read. The book helped inform and guide me at a critical time in my life, placing me on a firmer ground to cope with an immense loss.
Written by a journalist, it explores death, dying, and grief on a personal and medical professional level. Insightful!!!
This isn't light reading but there is valuable thought-provoking information here.
A little repetitive at times, but definitely worthwhile.
Everyone who will die should read this book.
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For anyone who is going to die this is a must read
Jun 17, 2013
Danielle Sturgeon
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