'Stop shying away from death': Researchers claim dying patients suffer loss of dignity

'Start a discussion now with your elderly loves ones about their end of life care preferences before they become too ill to have that conversation.'

Researchers claim end-of-life care only serves to dehumanize patients, while their loved ones cling to those they can't release.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - According to Daily Mail, a report by the University of New South Wales, in Sydney, Australia, indicates doctors feel pressured to perform "heroic interventions."

With more families clinging to provide chemotherapy, radiotherapy, feeding tubes, dialysis, blood transfusions, CPR and more in a person's end-of-life stages, doctors suddenly feel the need to step in and tell the well-intended family members to consider the patient's needs.

The study involved 1.6 million patients across eight countries and observed the number of "unnecessary" procedures provided for people at the end of their lives.

Researchers suggest patients are denied a "dignified" and "comfortable" death because their families insist on saving them when they would otherwise slip away.

Dr. Magnolia Cardona-Morrell, an accomplished Health Care Researcher who has been previously published in the International Journal for Quality in Health Care, explained many patients died in operating rooms or intensive care units rather than the comfort of their homes due to attempted longevity.

According to Dr. Magnolia, part of the problem includes how relatives have "unrealistic" expectations of both doctors and medical technology.

"Doctors also struggle with the uncertainty of the duration of the dying trajectory and are torn by the ethical dilemma of delivering what they were trained to do, save lives, versus respecting the patient's right to die with dignity."

She continued, explaining how people are quick to tell doctors to do "everything possible" without regard to a patient's feelings on the matter.

"[S]top shying away from the topic of death," Dr. Magnolia urged relatives of a dying loved one. "Start a discussion now with your elderly love[d] ones about their end of life care preferences before they become too ill to have that conversation."

Dr. Magnolia then spoke to doctors who feel pressured to step in when a family member expects too much from medical technology.

"More training for doctors will help them let go of the fear of a wrong prognosis, because they will be better able to identify patients near the end of life."

Simon Chapman, Director of Policy and External Affairs, National Council for Palliative Care, explained: "We all die one day, and we need to challenge the idea that death is somehow a medical failure. It's essentially that we listen to what people want.

"Dying is not a failure, but someone dying without good care is. Losing someone we care about is always painful, but we don't help our loved ones, the doctors and nurses caring for them, or even ourselves by demanding treatment that will not bring them any benefit but instead might reduce their chances of a dignified and comfortable death."

Professor Bill Noble, the Medical Director at the charity Marie Curie, stated: "We need to get past the idea that providing palliative care is giving up on a patient. Early access to palliative care will greatly improve quality of life for both patients and their families and also gives people a change to have honest conversations about treatment options, and what to expect as their condition progresses.

"This makes harmful interventions at the end of someone's life less likely and helps families deal with their impending bereavement."

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