A Good Life to the End (Paperback)

Ken Hillman

ISBN 10: 1760294810 / ISBN 13: 9781760294816

Published by Allen & Unwin, St Leonards, 2017

About this Item

Paperback. A huge majority of people at the end of their lives want to die at home, but only a small number manage to do this. This vital book asks why. Many of us have experienced an elderly loved one coming to the end of their life in a hospital - over-treated, infantilised and, worst of all, facing a death without dignity. Families are being herded into making decisions that are not to the benefit of the patient. Professor Ken Hillman has worked in intensive care since its inception. But he is appalled by the way the ICU has become a place where the frail, soon-to-die and dying are given unnecessary operations and life-prolonging treatments without their wishes being taken into account.A Good Life to the End will embolden and equip us to ask about the options that doctors in hospital should offer us but mostly don't. It lets us know that there are other, gentler options for patients and their loved ones that can be much more sympathetic to the final wishes of most people facing the end of their lives. An invaluable support for the elderly as well as their families, and a rallying cry for anyone who's had to witness the unnecessary suffering of a loved one, A Good Life to the End will spark debate, challenge the status quo and change lives. A professor of intensive care asks why so many elderly people linger in pain and confusion in ICU when all they want is to die at home in peace and with their loved ones. A crucial and timely rallying cry against unnecessary suffering and for humanity and gentle acceptance at the end of our lives. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.

Seller Inventory # 9781760294816

Bibliographic Details

• Title: A Good Life to the End (Paperback)
• Publisher: Allen & Unwin, St Leonards
• Publication Date: 2017
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1760294810
• ISBN 13: 9781760294816
• Binding: Paperback
• Condition: new

About this title

Synopsis

A vital guide to navigating aging and death with dignity.

Many people face the end of life in hospitals, often over-treated and without their wishes considered. Professor Ken Hillman, an intensive care specialist, challenges this status quo, advocating for gentler options that respect patients' final wishes.

A Good Life to the End empowers readers to:

• Understand the limitations of modern medicine in end-of-life care.
• Engage in honest conversations about aging, death, and dying.
• Advocate for compassionate and patient-centered care.
• Make informed choices about treatment options.

This book is an invaluable resource for the elderly, their families, and healthcare professionals seeking to improve the quality of end-of-life care and spark a debate about how we approach our inevitable journey.

About the Author

Ken Hillman is an intensive care specialist who is a Professor of Intensive Care at the University of New South Wales, the Foundation Director of The Simpson Centre for Health Services Research, and a member of the Ingham Institute of Applied Medical Research. He is a pioneer in the introduction of the Medical Emergency Team. He is the author of Vital Signs.