Death is a part of life.
Most of us have heard the saying.
Unfortunately, it seems that for many Americans it is only that — a saying.
The truth is, many people have a significant fear of death. Death is seen as a morbid, scary thing. It's the unknown step in life, and it's something people don't like to think about.
This contributes to the culture of fear in this country. People are afraid of being killed by terrorists, crime or the Avian flu.
One way in which the lack of understanding of death presents itself is in a recent study that suggests doctors are not being taught how to help patients confront death.
Part of the problem lies in the stigma attached to death by doctors. Doctors heal people. Death might be seen as a failure by a doctor to adequately do their job.
This isn't right, and it needs to change.
Doctors, if they practice medicine long enough, are likely to encounter death eventually. It simply isn't possible to save everyone.
For this reason, end-of-life care needs to be part of the curriculum for doctors. Doctors need to be properly trained to tell their patients when there is no hope remaining. It will not be an easy thing to do.
As journalists, part of our job is learning how to talk to victims following a traumatic event. Doctors should have similar training.
Learning to tell patients bad news is only one aspect of a doctor's involvement in the death of a patient.
End-of-life care is a service many people utilize as they near death. One of the most common forms is hospice care. Hospice takes over when a patient is beyond medical help.
The goal is no longer to save the person's life but to assist them and make their final days as comfortable as possible. This can include administering medication, but also it can focus on the patient's family and helping to prepare them for their loved one's passing.
Other cultures embrace death. Mexico, for example, celebrates the Day of the Dead.
Halloween also involves celebrating death. Unfortunately, Halloween today is more about collecting candy.
Death really is a part of life. We can't just pay lip service to this fact.
