2. Assisted Suicide in Late Adulthood:
2.1 Erik Erikson’s Theory:
There are certain factors of development that would lead an elderly person to consider assisted suicide. Theories of development, such as Erik Erikson’s theory of development, have attempted to explain these factors. This section of the essay discusses Erikson’s theory, making specific reference to the final stage in his theory, integrity versus despair, as well as life review within this stage.
Erikson proposed his theory in line with the lifespan approach to development. This means that he believes that identity formation and development is a lifelong process (Friedman and Schustack, 2014). Erikson states that development occurs up until death and that it occurs in eight
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The issue of what is considered dead must first be discussed. According to Santrock, “brain dead is when all electrical activity of the brain has eased for a specified time period and a has a flat EEG. Higher portions of the brain die sooner than the lower portions of the brain, thus breathing will continue” (2009, p. 619).
The attitudes towards death in late adulthood include the age of the person and how that influences the way they experience and think about death. Individuals in late adulthood understand that death is final and irreversible (Santrock, 2009, p. 623). Older adults think more and talk more about death. They also have more direct experience with death, as more friends and family pass on before them. This increased thinking and talking of death, as well as increased integrity through a positive life review, may help them to accept death. Older adults are less likely to have unfinished business than younger adults. They usually do not have children depending on them, their spouse has more than likely passed and they have no projects to complete. Death then is less emotionally painful to them (Santrock, 2009, p. 625). However, physical losses and other problems may diminish their pleasure in living (Papalia, Sterns, Feldman & Camp, 2002, p.
An issue that I have kept the same opinion on is assisted suicide. This issue is for terminally ill people, and I believe that terminally ill patients should be able to have the choice to end their life. This issue also effects the provincial level of government, because they are responsible for health care.
Eric Erikson developed a theory that divides an individual’s life into eight stages that extend from birth to death (unlike many developmental theories that only cover childhood). Erikson (1902-94)
Irreversible cessation of all functions of the entire brain, including the brain stem is dead (delimiting).” “They struggle with here of the laws phrases; “irreversible,” “all functions,” and entire brain,” knowing that they cannot guarantee for compliance (delimiting).” “Unfortunately, physicians know that when they declare that someone on life support is dead, they are usually obeying the spirit, but not the letter of this law (delimiting).” “Called into the doctor’s office eighteen hours after the accident, Craig was told Sandrine was “brain dead” the term used when brain function is deemed to have ceased totally and irreversibly (when does life end).” “As she lay beside Sandrine listening to her breathing and her heart beating, she thought “we can’t bury a beating heart and breathing lungs”(when does life end).” If she’s brain dead, why do they have to put her to sleep she wondered (when does life end).” “In some cases the “brain is not completely dead,” If it were there would be no blood pressure or heartbeat (when does life end).” Post-mortem observations that relatively areas of tissues can be metabolically active in different brain areas at the time death are declared (delimiting).” “Physicians who have been required by circumstance to wait much longer have occasionally observed a brainstem- mediated reflex- a cough, for example- up to thirty-six hours after they would have declared death (delimiting).” “Blood chemistry undermines a claim that all functions of the
Erikson believed that people develop in psychosocial stages. He emphasized developmental change throughout the human life span. In Erikson's theory, eight stages of development result as we go through the life span. Each stage consists of a crisis that must be faced. According to Erikson, this crisis is not a catastrophe but a turning point. The more an individual resolves the crises successfully, the healthier development will be.
The thoughts of assisted suicide are very mixed. Some people believe that it is a great way to put terminally-ill patients out of the their pain and suffering. They see it as a way for a person to die with dignity after suffering from a painful disease. Others think it is beyond morally wrong for a doctor to intentionally end a patient’s life. They feel that a doctor should not have unnecessary deaths riding, on their shoulders the rest of their career. Assisted suicide goes way beyond the beliefs of medicine and is morally wrong in so many ways.
prescribe drugs to terminally ill patients who request to end their lives. Attorney General John
Brittany Maynard, a woman known for her advocacy in the controversial topic of assisted suicide, officially ended her life this fall after learning of her fatal brain tumor. After complaining of horrible headaches, she decided to see a doctor where they gave her this traumatic news. She had two corrective surgeries to try and stop the growth of her large tumor, but they were unsuccessful. Her doctor then suggested full brain radiation, but after months of researching this option, along with many other, she knew her quality of what short life she had left would quickly deteriorate. With the help of her family, friends, and newly-wed husband, she made the decision to move with her loved ones from her California home to Oregon, where death with
Analyzing late adulthood and the death of an individual as a culmination of the life span development process one must understand late adulthood consists of. This paper will give a brief overview of ageism and stereotypes associate with late adulthood. This will explain how health and wellness techniques in the late adulthood stages can mitigate the negative effects of aging. As people age the social views and experiences changes in relationships and interactions with individuals, as he or she nears end of life. When closely approaching the end of life, a person has cultural and personal attitudes about death and dignity in late adulthood.
Imagine that you are in a physical condition that does not allow you to move your body. You feel nothing but pain. You cannot communicate your sorrow because you cannot move your mouth. You want to scream, but hardly a grunt comes out. There’s only one escape. Who is to say you shouldn’t take advantage of that? Medically assisted suicide is a controversial topic. It is the medical practice of allowing one’s terminally ill patient to take the most painless path to death possible to prevent them from choosing a horrifically painful alternative or simply passing away from their illness however that may be. Many believe that the legalization of this practice would lead to a massive amount of pressure on the terminally ill and lead to an unreasonable and dangerous amount of non-justified suicides. It is also not considered to be a legitimate medical practice by many. However, it is imperative that it is both legalized and socially accepted. By taking one’s life away, you also rid them of the misery that was already killing them. With proper restriction from suicide for people who do not need it, medically assisted suicide is entirely safe and beneficial to the patient using it.
"No person is entitled to consent to have death inflicted on him, and such consent does not affect the criminal responsibility of any person by whom death may be inflicted on the person by whom consent is given.”, this is according to the Indiana Code of Criminal Law and Procedure.
The main and most important difference between brain death and the vegetative state of consciousness is the functioning of the brain stem. In the vegetative state, the brain stem is still functioning. There is usually some form of consciousness present. The automatic breathing function can be possibly be unaffected and is a common occurrence. Moreover, there is a chance of some degree of recovery through physical and mental therapy because the brain stem’s core functions are still operational. A person who is brain dead has no chance for recovery and will not survive without some form of artificial
Before reading this book I felt almost oblivious to how mentally ill someone can be without others knowing. The Best parts of the book were also the worst. The amount of detail that was displayed in the killer's point of view was exceedingly chilling. By the end of the book, I had very mixed feelings about everything. I just couldn't understand why the perpetrator waited that long to attempt to kill Lincoln off. He has had so many opportunities why now? I did feel that the whole assisted suicide was a tad bit overplayed throughout the book. Lincoln did suffer from depression, but the way they portrayed it, in the end, did throw me off. I would definitely recommend this book to other people. Though it does have scenes that are a bit harsh for
The concept of brain death isn’t easy to understand. In 1968 the Harvard Medical School Ad Hoc Committee led by its chairman, anesthesiologist Henry K. Beecher, conducted a study to examine the definition of brain death and its use as a criteria of pronouncing a person dead (Belkin, 2014); “…This committee of the Harvard Medical School published a report describing the following characteristics of a permanently nonfunctioning brain, a condition it referred to as ‘irreversible coma,’ now known as brain death:
Introduction: Older person is preoccupied with concerns about death. This study aimed to investigate the attitudes of the elderly towards the end of life concerns.
Erik Erikson is known for his psychoanalytic theory of psychosocial development comprising eight stages from infancy to adulthood. Psychologist Erik Erikson, is a major contributor to developmental psychology, who proposed a comprehensive theory of the ways that individuals develop their identity, a sense of who they are, and society's influence on that development. Erikson stated that people go through crisis at each stage of their lives. The stages each had a developmental task to be mastered. As an individual resolved these various crises an individual would have a better harmony with their social environment that they live in. If an individual could not successfully resolve a crisis, they would be” out of step”, and the individual would have a greater difficulty in their dealing with a crisis in the future. Erikson did however recognize that an individual can develop through a stage negatively and still go on with their life. Erikson stated that each of the psychological stages have a basic conflict and important event leading to growth. The theory was developed from his hundreds of clinical observations in children.