Altilio and Otis-Green 2011 is the most recent comprehensive textbook devoted to palliative social work within which several chapters focus on end-of-life issues and decisions.Īltilio, T., and S. These texts include chapters that focus on end-of-life decisions or settings in which end-of-life discussions and decisions occur, such as hospice, palliative care and long-term care settings. Lastly, social workers may find content about end-of-life decisions in a few edited social work textbooks that cover related areas where end-of-life decisions, such as in health social work ( Gehlert and Browne 2011) and gerontology ( Berkman 2006) and encountered. A good foundational understanding of the perspectives and values that medical professionals bring into situations involving end-of-life decisions is provided. A medical perspective is offered by Quill 2001 in its analysis of medical, policy, and ethical aspects of end-of-life care decisions. This book contains chapters that address communication and end-of-life decisions and uses case narratives that give this book a personal touch. Werth and Blevins 2008 provides a good context for examining end-of-life decision making using a psychosocial perspective. The primarily social work chapter authors offer their expertise and practical approaches to be effective in work with people who are dying and their families. In a text geared toward health care practitioners, Berzoff and Silverman 2004 offers comprehensive coverage to a range of issues encountered by end-of-life practitioners, including end-of-life decisions. Social work educators as well as practitioners will find that this book provides essential knowledge about bioethics and its importance in end-of-life decisions. Case studies are used throughout the text to illustrate complex issues and practice approaches. This book gives an ethical context and practical approach that social workers can utilize in practice with people facing end-of-life decisions. Regardless of the setting or immediacy of planning need, working with individuals and families who face end-of-life decisions a high degree of commitment and competency given the profound implications of decisions that affect life and death.Īs of the early 21st century, only one textbook, Csikai and Chaitin 2006, has been published that specifically provides a social work perspective regarding end-of-life decisions. They also have a duty to safeguard individuals’ rights to confidentiality and self-determination in end-of-life decisions. Social workers play pivotal roles in ensuring that informed consent has taken place and individuals and families have access to needed resources to improve quality of life at the end of life. In addition, decisions may be complicated by policy considerations, particularly about including health insurance and federal and state policies governing coverage. End-of-life decisions create a need for attention to medical aspects as well as to psychosocial consequences. These discussions take place in a variety of health settings and social workers are often asked to facilitate the process particularly at critical decision points in serious illness.
ETHICAL ISSUES IN END OF LIFE DECISIONS HOW TO
Such discussions may be held with family and health professionals and decisions made about how to handle care at the end of life in advance of a serious, life-limiting illness, and, at the other end of the continuum, when treatment aimed at a curing a serious illness is no longer effective. Discussions may occur around issues of advance care planning (including living wills), use of life-sustaining medical treatments, hospice and palliative care, organ donation, and physician-assisted death. As medical technology continues to advance and produce the ability to prolong life almost indefinitely, individuals and families are asked to make increasingly complex choices about what treatments best correspond to their conceptions of how they wish to die.
End-of-life decisions occur throughout the lifespan and involve many aspects of the dying process.
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