Counterproductive Care

​What comes to mind when you think about the experience of a “good death”?  Often people will suggest that they would like to die in their sleep.  Others suggest they would like to die peacefully in their home surrounded by loved ones.  These are the ideals often suggested, but the reality for most of us is that we will die in a hospital or some other institutional setting.  Although 7 out of 10 people suggest that they would like to die at home, the reality is just the opposite.  Only 25-30% of people die at home while 70% die in a hospital or nursing home.  

As medical technology has evolved so have the myriad of treatments and technologies medical professionals can employ to keep people alive when our bodies and minds begin to fail.  The term “life-support” has become a common term in our language.  But when does “life support” begin to feel like it is no longer supporting life, and it is merely extending the dying process?  How do we decide when we need to stop using the mechanical devices such as ventilators and tube feedings to support life, and allow a loved one to die?

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