Not long after my post on death and dying in early May, the AMA had a media release on death education in schools (see attachment below).

 It was bought to my attention with the comment “ they must have read your blog”.   It seems to me that the school curriculum is already too overcrowded with topics that could be covered more appropriately outside of school.  Is it ironic that doctors, who are committed to prolonging life should be advocating  a greater understanding of dying? 

It strikes me as potentially counterproductive to have children comfortable with discussing death while their parents seem very reluctant to do so among themselves.   In my circle of family, friends and conversational acquaintances, I can only nominate one, maybe two, who appear relaxed in sharing their thoughts on this topic.

Maybe the AMA should concentrate on advocating funding for the development of adult education classes on death and dying.  Once suitable material has been put together, the Government could encourage attendance at these classes.    As those attending pass on this newly acquired knowledge with resultant diminished fearful attitude to their children, our society will surely be a less stressful environment to grow up in.    

On the assumption that a balance between the positives and negatives of dying could be provided in these courses, maybe it could lead to a reduction in society’s medical costs as patients decide to end treatment when they are happy to die rather than persevere with expensive treatment until their last breath.   I am led to believe that a very high percentage of a person’s lifetime medical costs are spent during the last ten years of their life.   Any savings could be directed to other areas of medicine that are regularly calling out for more funding.

The reduced emotional stress that comes from less fear can only be an extra bonus for our society.

Why is preparing for death taboo?

I am looking to generate useful discussion on preparing for dying - my friends and I.  Below are some random thoughts on End of Life on Earth.  Any contributions to this discussion are welcome. 

Why is dying made out to be such an undesirable thing?

It seems to me that there is a much higher probability of death being a good thing for the person who is dying.   If you believe in Heaven then life after death is a definite positive; if you believe that death is the end, then nothing is probably better than suffering.   It strikes me that the only persons for whom death is a negative are those that believe in Hell and are expecting to be punished after death.  For these people, the only benefit of prolonging life is if it gives them a chance to redeem themselves while alive to prevent suffering after death.

The people who might suffer mostly after their loved ones die are those that hurt in their absence.  This hurt would surely diminish in the knowledge that their loved one is in a much happier place.

Maybe most of the undesirability of death is due to fear of the unknown.  If so, perhaps we should put more effort into allaying that fear. 

 We prepare for work by going to school and maybe university. we prepare to be new parents by going to ante natal classes; we prepare for married life by maybe going to pre-marriage counselling;  we prepare for retirement by going to appropriate seminars.  

Why aren’t pre dying seminars all the rage?  Everyone has to deal with death in their lifetime.  

Why should we not be bombarded by  ads for  “getting to know dying” rather than gambling?

Is there a law against discussing dying in public?

Can you be arrested/sued for providing misleading information about life after death?  If so, how can it be proved that the information is misleading?

Often these days there is debate about health funding.  How can we debate the merits of diverting funds to helping premature babies, or to mental health issues, or giving quality of life to middle aged persons or prolonging the life of incurably ill patients or finding cures for diseases or to researching prevention of cancer/other diseases?

The merits of each of these topics can be argued depending on where you are coming from and on what life has given you to date.  I cannot think of any other situation that is universal other than death.  

Why do we go to such effort to keep our loved ones with us as long as possible when it seems that they are in pain and death is inevitable?

Why don’t we help them seek death sooner with the knowledge that they are heading for a better place?

Why does the government not spend more resources preparing people for death and less on prolonging life for those with terminal illness once they get to an age that indicates they have lived a life?