Finding Dignity at the End of Life

This book is an important entry into the global discussion about palliative care. The diverse perspectives and experience of the contributors will enrich the current understanding of what palliative care is and what it can be, even as it provokes a deeper and more textured discussion. Much of the focus of this volume, and what makes it a particularly valuable addition to a professional conversation that has been ongoing for more than thirty years, is the role that spirituality and religion play in palliative care, as they apply to better individual and social understanding of illness, of wellness and well-being, of mindfulness, and of relationships, particularly between providers, patients, and their families. Pegoraro and Benton are to be commended. - MC Sullivan, RN, MTS, JD, chief healthcare ethicist, Archdiocese of Boston This ambitious volume is akin to a woven tapestry that draws the reader into the critical and interconnected concepts that comprise spirituality, dignity, and palliative care. The collaborative and layered approach brings the readers through an exploration of intrapersonal, interpersonal, institutional, community, and public-policy factors that comprise a normative vision for palliative care, and the varied barriers that must be overcome to realize that goal. That vision is rendered vivid and practical through the use of powerful stories of patients and families facing illness, a diverse array of spiritual and religious perspectives, and evocative discussion questions. This book is a key resource for palliative care trainees, practitioners, and advocates. - Tracy A. Balboni, MD, MPH, FAAHPM, associate professor of radiation oncology, Harvard Medical School; clinical director, The Supportive and Palliative Radiation Oncology Service, Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women's Cancer Center In the world beyond cure, everyone is a pilgrim and every path is individual and personal. The deeply thoughtful and carefully researched chapters in this book offer all travelers both the enduring wisdom of the world's major faith traditions and the powerful psychological insights and interactive tools of today's medicine. Finding Dignity at the End of Life is a light in the darkness for those who travel to an unknown and deeply personal destination and those who accompany them to the edge of the world, whether we share their path because of professional competence or because of our love. - Rachel Naomi Remen, MD, professor of medicine, Boonshoft School of Medicine; clinical professor of family and community medicine, UCSF School of Medicine A new tool for palliative care advocacy is here. Kathleen Benton and Renzo Pegoraro gather for us the voices of different cultures, religions, and practical approaches to palliative care. In the middle of different traditions and practices we can find the harmony of people caring in a holistic, compassionate, and respectful way for those that are in the critical moment of advanced disease and facing the end of their life. But the book is not only to recommend or promote palliative care. It is a practical roadmap, offering key points to those helping anyone in the spiritual process of saying goodbye. Relatives, caregivers, chaplains, and health professionals will enjoy reading through the pages of this book. - Professor Carlos Centeno Cortes, head researcher, Atlantes Research Group, Institute of Culture and Society, University of Navarra