The Good Death: The New American Search to Reshape the End of Life

Dying has been completely transformed by medical advances that can prolong our lives but have created confusion and difficulties at the end of life, obscuring a traditional art of dying. This manuscript looks at those medical and end-of-life changes, examining what they are and why they have occurred, and it posits ways to recreate a modern art of dying for current times. It addresses pain and symptom management, family support policy, physician assisted suicide, legal and ethical issues, spiritual and social concerns, as well as psychological and emotional issues. The work also provides an historical overview of death and dying, and a practical and a theoretical roadmap for moving forward into the future.