the good life's end

 


 
The Good Life’s End Research is interested in what people regard as a good life’s end. Numerous research into this field has shown that different elements are important for a ‘good’ death. Amongst others these are a painfree death or good pain management (of physical pain and/or emotional distress), maintaining autonomy and control (influence on the manner, timing and place of death), dying after a fulfilled life, surrounded by close ones, not being a burden to family and friends, strengthening relationships with family and friends and being spiritually prepared to die. Of course intercultural and individual differences exist.

The Good Life’s Research mainly specializes in the importance of the influence on the manner, timing and place of death, one’s wish for autonomy and control at life’s end. The research field of The Good Life’s End Research is therefore mainly directed at the ways of self-directed dying.

On the one hand this entails medical self-directed dying. This is the ending of life by or under guidance of a medical doctor. For example euthanasia, physician-assisted suicide or terminal sedation.

On the other hand this entails non-medical self-directed dying. This is the ending of life outside the medical domain or when a medical doctor doesn’t have the responsibility for the cause of dying, but the individual self. For example suicide or self directed dying with openness toward close ones (self-euthanasia).