When a relative recently died, the text read, "She passed away peacefully." ~
Unless the death is due to violence, does anyone not pass away peacefully?
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I worked in aged care for three years.
I found that only 2% died peacefully, meaning died in their sleep with no pain or suffering.
Seizures, strokes and heart attacks were the most common cause of death in the very old (90 - 104 yrs).
Pain is a problem. Some can be reduced or eliminated with the right drugs. For nerve pain, such as post herpetic neuralgia, there is no effective solution - although antipsychotics can help.
This experience verified what we were taught during our training.
The average elder in aged care has at least 11 health conditions affecting their vital organs and requiring medication and monitoring.
Often, all contemporaries and friends have already died and with that comes grief and loneliness. Some outlive their families and have no one.
Unless a person is physically healthy and compos mentis, living to a great old age is no blessing.
With some innovative exceptions, most Western societies, despite their material wealth, are not good at the arts of palliative care.
I found that only 2% died peacefully, meaning died in their sleep with no pain or suffering.
Seizures, strokes and heart attacks were the most common cause of death in the very old (90 - 104 yrs).
Pain is a problem. Some can be reduced or eliminated with the right drugs. For nerve pain, such as post herpetic neuralgia, there is no effective solution - although antipsychotics can help.
This experience verified what we were taught during our training.
The average elder in aged care has at least 11 health conditions affecting their vital organs and requiring medication and monitoring.
Often, all contemporaries and friends have already died and with that comes grief and loneliness. Some outlive their families and have no one.
Unless a person is physically healthy and compos mentis, living to a great old age is no blessing.
With some innovative exceptions, most Western societies, despite their material wealth, are not good at the arts of palliative care.
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ninalanyon · 61-69, T
@RedBaron Does everyone know what sound means in this context? Exactly where is one to draw the line when choosing a word or phrase?
'Compos mentis' hardly counts as commonly used in British English either, are we then to restrict ourselves to the commonest thousand words in international English? Or five thousand, or five hundred?
'Compos mentis' hardly counts as commonly used in British English either, are we then to restrict ourselves to the commonest thousand words in international English? Or five thousand, or five hundred?
RedBaron · M
@ninalanyon I am not willing to debate semantics with you. All I am saying is that yes, it is best to use the simplest, most common possible words.
ninalanyon · 61-69, T
@RedBaron Yet you use the word semantics. Semantics to me is the science of meaning, but I'm not sure what you mean by "debate semantics".
CestManan · 46-50, F
@ASLAN
Well son of a B, that doesn't do ME any good because I am 17 to 21 years older than you and will probably die first, especially if I keep sucking down cancer sticks.
Thanks a lot. 😡
When I die I'll hit you up via a Ouija board and tell you how was it .. Make sure you have one tho 🙂
Well son of a B, that doesn't do ME any good because I am 17 to 21 years older than you and will probably die first, especially if I keep sucking down cancer sticks.
Thanks a lot. 😡
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ninalanyon · 61-69, T
That rather depends on which part of the passing away you have in mind.
I imagine that you have never watched someone die of cancer. Yes the last minutes, hours, perhaps even days are outwardly peaceful as the organs shut down progressively and and the dose of morphine is increased to give at least some semblance of comfort.
But the days, weeks, months, or even years that lead up to that point are quite the opposite of peaceful. There might not be any outward signs of violence but there is violence within, both in the body and in the mind.
I imagine that you have never watched someone die of cancer. Yes the last minutes, hours, perhaps even days are outwardly peaceful as the organs shut down progressively and and the dose of morphine is increased to give at least some semblance of comfort.
But the days, weeks, months, or even years that lead up to that point are quite the opposite of peaceful. There might not be any outward signs of violence but there is violence within, both in the body and in the mind.
happypickle · 31-35, F
ChipmunkErnie · 70-79, M
I don’t think fighting an illness would be peaceful. Cancer patients look to be in a lot of pain. Or dying in a car crash.
@RedBaron I viewed violence as murder. To me car crashes aren’t violent. Maybe don’t leave things up for interpretation.
RedBaron · M
@666Maggotz Doesn’t really matter, but I think of anything involving blood and trauma to the body as violent.
Piper · 61-69, F
Yes. Many, many people do not die peacefully.
HenryMills · M
Overdoses aren’t so peaceful