Death and Dying

Young old 65 to 74, old old 75-84 and oldest old 85
= Late adulthood (old age) is generally considered to begin at about age 65. Erik Erikson
suggests that at this time it is important to find meaning and satisfaction in life rather than to
become bitter and disillusioned, that is, to resolve the conflict of integrity vs. despair.
aging process
Physical changes
- skin continues to lose elasticity, reaction time slows further, muscle strength and
mobility diminishes, hearing and vision decline, and the immune system weakens
because of reduction in the size of the brain as well as loss of brain plasticity.
- have a harder time remembering and attending to information.
- results in a loss of memory, deteriorated intellectual function, decreased mobility, and
higher rates of disease like Alzheimer’s disease
Neurocognitive disorder, formerly called dementia, is a broad category of brain diseases that

cause a gradual long-term decrease in the ability to think and remember.
There is no cure for neurocognitive disorder, but there are many strategies to improve quality of
life for people with this disorder, such as daily exercise programs and cognitive or behavioral
therapies.
dementia: A broad category of brain diseases that cause a long-term decrease in the ability to
think and remember to the extent that a person’s daily functioning is affected.
 As people age, they become more dependent on others. Older adults may
struggle with feelings of guilt, shame, or depression because of their
increased dependency, especially in societies where the elderly are viewed
as a burden.
 Many older adults contend with feelings of loneliness and isolation as their
loved ones pass away, which can negatively impact their health and well-
being. Staying active and involved in life can help to counteract these
challenges.
 According to Erikson, the final stage of life is marked by a crisis
over integrity vs. despair. People who believe they have had a positive
impact on the world feel a sense of integrity, while those who feel they have
not measured up to certain standards develop a sense of despair.
 According to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, people go through five distinct stages
of grief upon dealing with death and dying: denial, anger, bargaining,
depression, and acceptance.
DEATH AND DYING SCRIPT

How people think about death, approach death, and cope with death vary depending on many
factors. Photo Courtesy Robert Paul Young.
I know a lot of us have fears. Fear of heights, fear of insects, open and enclosed spaces or even fear na
maiwanan, masaktan pero iba na ‘yon. But we have this the Greek personification which is
thanatophobia fear of DEATH is anxiety caused by thoughts of one's own death .
The fear of death and dying is quite common, and most people fear death.

The study of death and dying is seldom given the amount of coverage it deserves. Of course,
there is a certain discomfort in thinking about death, but there is also a certain confidence and
acceptance that can come from studying death and dying.
Therefore, it is important for us to be knowledgeable and to know concept of death because we
can’t deny the fact that we will all reach to this reality that no one will ever escape from.
There are different types of death: physiological, psychological, and social.
Physiological death refers to the vital organs ceasing to function. As a person goes through the active
process of dying, the body goes through a process of shutting down. This means an increase in sleep,
perhaps, the person may stop eating as digestion begins to slow down, the blood may pool on the
underside of the body forming dark patches or mottling as circulation slows. And breathing may become
more raspy.
Or what we call agonal breathing
Social death occurs when others stop visiting or calling on someone who is terminally ill or in the dying
process. Even health care providers may spend less time with their terminally ill patients. Why do others
begin to withdraw? Friends and family members may feel that they do not know what to say or that they
can offer no solutions to relieve suffering. An informal description I’ve heard when referring to terminally ill
patients is that they are “circling the drain” meaning they are on their way out. Most social death occurs
because people feel uncomfortable around those who are dying. What do you do for those who are
dying? The number one answer is to be there and listen. No one really expects someone to turn it around
or offer a solution.
Social death is used to describe the ways in which someone is treated as if they were dead or
non-existent. Social death is distinguished from biological or physical death: when the
body is considered to have died and ceased functioning for life. Social death can occur
before or after physical death.
People in nursing homes may live as socially dead for years with no one visiting or
calling. Social support is important for quality of life and those who experience social death are
deprived from the benefits that come from loving interaction with others=-5w sdfghip]\
‘/,mnbv
sociologists such as Orlando Patterson and Zygmunt Bauman,

Conditions like Aids and cancer.
Psychological death occurs when the person begins to accept their death and to
withdraw from others psychologically. They may be less interested in normal activities,
world events, and social relationships. This can occur much sooner than biological
death and can even bring physiological death closer. People have some control over the timing
of their death and can hold on until after important occasions or die quickly after having lost
someone important to them. In some cases, individuals can give up their will to live. This is often
at least partially attributable to a lost sense of identity.
A dying process that allows an individual to make choices about treatment, to say goodbyes and
to take care of final arrangements is what many people hope for. Such a death might be
considered a “good death.” But of course, many deaths do not occur in this way. Not all deaths
include such a dialogue with family members or being able to die in familiar surroundings;
people may die suddenly and alone, or people may leave home and never return. Children
sometimes precede parents in death; wives precede husbands, and the homeless are bereaved
by strangers.
Physiological death occurs when the vital organs no longer function.

Social death begins much earlier than physiological death.
Psychological death occurs when the dying person begins to accept death and to withdraw
from others and regress into the self.

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Young old 65 to 74, old old 75-84 and oldest old 85

Neurocognitive disorder, formerly called dementia, is a broad category of brain diseases that

DEATH AND DYING SCRIPT

The fear of death and dying is quite common, and most people fear death.

There are different types of death: physiological, psychological, and social.

Or what we call agonal breathing

sociologists such as Orlando Patterson and Zygmunt Bauman,

Physiological death occurs when the vital organs no longer function.

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