What's the best way to die ?

We talked about this in hospice vigil training a few days ago. In the most general terms, a good death is one where pain, anxiety, and agitation are minimized. How one accomplishes that is really a matter of personal choice. Generally it is good to use adequate, but not excessive, pharmaceutical intervention. But some people want to have people telling stories about the family to them as they die. Others want music. Yet others want religious things. Music prayers. It's just really idiosyncratic and personal because some people are overwhelmed by touch, sound, the presence of people, while yet others are overwhelmed by the absence of that. Some are unconscious at death, some are conscious until very close to death. There are no right or wrong answers. Especially since it's also about the family and caretakers. Some of them are really disturbed by what happens to somebody at death, or as death gets closer. Others want to be right there at the very moment. It's all idiosyncratic and personal with the family too.