In Closure By Nancy Berns: An Analysis

Death is a topic that individuals in our society seek to avoid. As a result of this social taboo, people fail to discuss what they want their death to look like which places their families in a difficult situation. The family will decide what the patient would want and decided where to draw the line between what is considered sustaining life and postponing inevitable death. The failure to engage in these conversations results in “[patients]—along with their families and doctors—[being] unprepared for the final stage” (Gawande, 154). One way to confront this issue is to have individuals establish living wills and engage in conversations with trained personnel to discuss the complexity of life support. These readings have inspired me to create

This is the result shifting the care away from the family and onto funeral homes. I observed this phenomenon as we toured the funeral home. The tour guide talked about how they were there to serve the family and explained the vast array of options that families had to choose from. He described the biodegradable urns that people could purchase to send the ashes off in the ocean or plant them in the ground. This tour brought my attention to how many factors are involved when it comes to dealing with the remains of the deceased. One can choose to be cremated, but they can also decide to be embalmed for the service or for their loved ones to see them one last time. I also had no idea that the bodies were cremated within a container. This commoditization has resulted in multiple options for families to choose from that vary from a cardboard box to caskets. This influenced my plan because I know that my family members would feel guilty for placing me in a cardboard box to be cremated. To prevent this guilt, I explicitly stated in my plans that I wanted to be cremated in the cardboard box because I think the extravagant containers are unnecessary. Berns also describes how it can be beneficial for the family members to find ways to continue their bonds with those that have passed away. I took this into consideration when I decided what I wanted to be done with my ashes. Scattering my ashes at a place that reminded my

Woody wanted to retrieve the prize money and fix his truck to have something to pass along to his children. This phenomenon is also described in Being Mortal. The results of the initiative to bring animals into the nursing home prove that by having a purpose in life can give meaning to both their life and death. Therefore, I would like to spend my final days at home as opposed to a nursing facility. This location will hopefully prevent loneliness which will reduce my risk of depression. I will also be around my personal items which will provide comfort and reassure that I have lived a meaningful life. How to Die in Oregon emphasized how people at the end of their life seek comfort and do not want to be in pain. This influenced my plan and resulted in the encouragement of pain medication in order to stop