Death preparation

This paper aims to link and compare two different conceptions of death during the Enlightenment era with contemporary bioethical concerns. Eugenios Voulgaris integrates his understanding of death into the wider philosophical and theological framework of Orthodoxy. He emphasizes a dignified acceptance of death without hastening it, viewing any attempt to artificially prolong life as a form of hubris against divine providence. Conversely, Kant’s rationalist perspective categorically rejects euthanasia and suicide, viewing them as violations of the categorical imperative. Kant upholds the preservation of life as a perfect duty, emphasizing autonomy and dignity. This comparative analysis highlights the ethical and philosophical divergence between Voulgaris’ theologically influenced acceptance of death and Kant’s strict moral framework opposing the intentional ending of life. The study underscores the relevance of these Enlightenment perspectives in informing contemporary debates on euthanasia and the moral dimensions of end-of-life decisions.

The aim of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of a person-centered, distance, and multi-component psychosocial intervention (ADMP) designed for family caregivers of Alzheimer's patients on their pre-death grief, well-being, and perceived social support. This research is planned as a quantitative study using a quasi-experimental method with an experimental and control group. The experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups were formed through purposive sampling among applicants responding to advertisements posted on social media channels who were later randomly assigned. First, the weekly contents of the eight-session psychosocial intervention were created and applied individually to the participants of the experimental group through telephone calls. Data were collected using the Marwit-Meuser Caregiver Grief Inventory-Short Form, Caregiver Well-Being Scale, Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support, and Core Bereavement Items for the dependent variables. Four measurements were taken as pre-test, post-test, first follow-up, and second follow-up, and hypotheses were tested using the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test. Hypotheses were formed considering the high and low levels of pre-death grief of the participants in the experimental and control groups; additionally,  hypothesis were developed for a combined single group excluding those with very low grief. The findings of the study revealed that the ADMP intervention (1a) had a significant effect on the pre-death grief (PDG) of the combined experimental group, (1b) had a partial effect on the PDG of the low PDG experimental group, which persisted until the first follow-up (three months post-intervention) but did not continue into the second follow-up, (1c) had a partial effect on the PDG of the high PDG experimental group, which persisted until the first follow-up but did not continue into the second follow-up, (2a) had a partial effect on the caregiver well-being (CWB) of the combined experimental group, (2b) had a significant effect on the CWB of the low PDG experimental group, which persisted until the first follow-up but did not continue into the second follow-up, (2c) had a partial effect on the CWB of the high PDG experimental group, which partially persisted throughout the follow-up measurements, (3a) had a significant effect on the perceived social support (PSS) of the combined experimental group, (3b) had a significant effect on the PSS of the low PDG experimental group, which continued to increase until the first follow-up but did not persist into the second follow-up, (3c) had a partial effect on the PSS of the high PDG experimental group, which persisted until the first follow-up but did not continue into the second follow-up. The findings were discussed in accordance with the research conditions, literature, and cultural context.

Although planning for end-of-life care is crucial, it is underdeveloped in the Hong Kong Chinese context. To review the local experience in death education training, it was found that helping professionals may not be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills to deal with the various needs of clients in death preparation and planning for end-of-life care. In view of this, an 8A model (alienation, avoidance, access, acknowledgment, action, acceptance, appreciation, and actualization) was developed as a framework for providing death education to these professionals. The 8A model adapted the Transtheoretical model for understanding the needs of clients in different phases of behavior change. In this article, details of the 8A model and how it can enhance professionals' work with clients in death education and planning for end-of-life care are discussed.

Although planning for end-of-life care is crucial, it is underdeveloped in the Hong Kong Chinese context. To review the local experience in death education training, it was found that helping professionals may not be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills to deal with the various needs of clients in death preparation and planning for end-of-life care. In view of this, an 8A model (alienation, avoidance, access, acknowledgment, action, acceptance, appreciation, and actualization) was developed as a framework for providing death education to these professionals. The 8A model adapted the Transtheoretical model for understanding the needs of clients in different phases of behavior change. In this article, details of the 8A model and how it can enhance professionals' work with clients in death education and planning for end-of-life care are discussed.

Although planning for end-of-life care is crucial, it is underdeveloped in the Hong Kong Chinese context. To review the local experience in death education training, it was found that helping professionals may not be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills to deal with the various needs of clients in death preparation and planning for end-of-life care. In view of this, an 8A model (alienation, avoidance, access, acknowledgment, action, acceptance, appreciation, and actualization) was developed as a framework for providing death education to these professionals. The 8A model adapted the Transtheoretical model for understanding the needs of clients in different phases of behavior change. In this article, details of the 8A model and how it can enhance professionals' work with clients in death education and planning for end-of-life care are discussed.

The Philippines series of the PALI Language Texts, under the general editorship of Howard P. McKaughan, consists of lesson textbooks, grammars, and dictionaries for seven major Filipino languages.Humanities Open Book Program, a joint initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundatio

L’esercizio mensile della buona morte è una pratica di pietà diffusa a partire dal Seicento, fiorita sul ceppo delle antiche "praeparationes ad mortem". Don Bosco l’assunse e lo rese funzionale al suo modello formativo. Proponeva ai giovani di collocarsi spiritualmente nel momento della propria morte per aiutarli ad apprezzare più obiettivamente la preziosità della vita e li invitava ad un accurato esame di coscienza e a una buona confessione, “come se fosse l’ultima della vita”, feconda di propositi concreti e operativi.
Lo scopo era triplice: tenere desta l’attenzione sui Novissimi e sul “grande affare dell’eterna salvezza”; educare al senso cristiano della morte e della vita; creare le condizioni per un costante monitoraggio di sé, funzionale alla riforma dei costumi e alla crescita virtuosa in tensione perfettiva e gaudiosa. La sua pratica è connotata da una marcata preoccupazione educativa, per questo accentua la revisione di vita, il rendiconto sincero al confessore-direttore spirituale, l’invito a tenersi in stato di costante conversione, riconfermare il dono di sé a Dio e formulare proponimenti operativi per un incessante miglioramento di sé. D’altra parte, l’espressione formale obsoleta ed alcune accentuazioni care alla cultura romantica, oggi la rendono del tutto estranea alla nostra sensibilità.

What if the angel of death suddenly came knocking on your door? Death and aging are inevitable. However, since investigations usually assume that death unanimously provokes anxiety, death is often termed the last taboo which makes it painful for most people to talk about, think about, or even plan for it. This study was conducted to determine the philosophies and attitudes of the elderly in terms of the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of death preparation. The study also sought to determine importance of a support system for the elderly faced or are facing near-death experiences and/or terminal illnesses. The study utilized phenomenology as its research design. Eight informants from the different cities and municipalities of Pangasinan were chosen through purposive sampling. All of them have been involved in a near-death experience and/or are in a dying state. Data was gathered in the form of a semi-structured interview. The study found that the informants' respective concepts of death, the grieving process, their cultivated philosophies, and support system played major roles in helping them prepare for death.

What if the angel of death suddenly came knocking on your door? Death and aging are inevitable. However, since investigations usually assume that death unanimously provokes anxiety, death is often termed the last taboo which makes it painful for most people to talk about, think about, or even plan for it. This study was conducted to determine the philosophies and attitudes of the elderly in terms of the physical, psychosocial, and spiritual aspects of death preparation. The study also sought to determine importance of a support system for the elderly faced or are facing neardeath experiences and/or terminal illnesses. The study utilized phenomenology as its research design. Eight informants from the different cities and municipalities of Pangasinan were chosen through purposive sampling. All of them have been involved in a near-death experience and/or are in a dying state. Data was gathered in the form of a semi-structured interview. The study found that the informants' respective concepts of death, the grieving process, their cultivated philosophies, and support system played major roles in helping them prepare for death.

Questo memorabile detto sarcastico di San Filippo Neri è quanto abbiamo scelto quest'anno noi animatori quale logo delle magliette dell'oratorio. Abbiamo deciso di incidere ciò che il "santo della gioia" o "il giullare di Dio", com'era anche chiamato per il suo carattere burlone, era solito ripetere ai suoi ragazzi nei momenti di maggiore turbolenza. San Filippo Neri è uomo di cultura e di carità, di insegnamenti e di preghiera; per Roma è sacerdote santo, infaticabile confessore, educatore ingegnoso, amico di tutti e in special modo è consigliere esperto e richiesto direttore di coscienze. Fiorentino di nascita e romano di adozione, San Filippo Neri nasce il 21 luglio 1515 in un periodo di profonda crisi della Chiesa. Si dice fosse un ragazzo felice, docile, portato al sorriso, allo scherzo, alla bellezza e dotato di una straordinaria dolcezza e amore verso i familiari e gli amici, tanto da essere presto soprannominato "Pippo buono". Presto Filippo sente di provare un amore fortissimo, infinito, che mai per nessuno aveva provato e a nulla somiglia: è l'amore per Dio. Intraprende, così, il suo cammino spirituale: parte come pellegrino povero verso Roma dove vive presso un conterraneo, il fiorentino Galeotta Caccia, che in compenso dell'educazione dei due figli, gli dà vitto e alloggio. Nel 1548, con altri compagni di vita devota, fonda la Confraternita della Santissima Trinità dei Pellegrini e Convalescenti, che diventa ben presto scuola di volontariato per molti collaboratori. Qui Filippo, da sempre particolarmente vicino ai poveri, ai sofferenti e agli infelici, accoglie quanti usciti dagli ospedali non hanno un posto dove andare oppure i pellegrini. A soli 36 anni è ordinato sacerdote e gli viene data una nuova sistemazione presso il convento di San Girolamo della Carità. Ma anche qui Filippo prosegue la sua opera: in un granaio sistemato a cappella riunisce nobili e popolani, preti e religiosi, cortigiani, artisti e sfaccendati, devoti, curiosi, in un incontro quotidiano in funzione formativa. La sua camera al convento di San Girolamo è la prima sede della sua Congregazione, qui non si accontenta di confessare ed assolvere, ma si prende cura totalmente delle anime che gli si affidano, le accoglie, parla con loro "familiarmente" della fede, della vanità delle cose del mondo, della bellezza della virtù, del premio dei buoni, spesso eccitandosi delle cose celesti per mezzo di armonie musicali. Nasce così la sua opera più geniale: l'Oratorio. Si trasferisce presto in una camera più grande dove insegna l'uso della predicazione quotidiana, in forma piana, della parola di Dio; insegna la pratica frequente del sacramento della Riconciliazione. A fondamento della sua vita di fede pone la preghiera, lo studio delle opere dei Padri e della storia della Chiesa. Uno dei suoi grandi meriti è quello d'aver riportato in chiesa l'arte sia pittorica che musicale, cacciata nei secoli bui perché paganeggiante negli atteggiamenti e nei contenuti. San Filippo Neri con l'istituzione dell'oratorio crea una 'palestra dello spirito', un ambiente simpatico ed attraente in cui attraverso opere di carità, ricreazione sana e in luoghi aperti, vita sacramentale, canto, sermone, l'uomo ritorna a gustare e vivere l'insegnamento di Cristo. Filippo predilige, però, i giovani: si aggira tra le botteghe e le viuzze raccogliendo i fanciulli sperduti e abbandonati a se stessi, si fa loro amico, diviene compagno di giochi, osservatore attento dei loro moti istintivi e dei loro primi turbamenti, la sua unica preoccupazione è quella di rendere piacevoli e simpatiche le cose di Dio. Anche i ragazzi d'altra parte sono attratti dalla sua affettuosa amabilità e dalla sua allegria. Per Filippo il giovane ha molte possibilità, però va stimolato, seguito, sostenuto, incoraggiato. Il giovane è nello stesso tempo debole, ma può raggiungere grandi mete se fa uso dei sacramenti e della preghiera, se è aiutato a vivere nella gioia e senza peccato, tra sani divertimenti e impegno caritativo. Filippo si fa fanciullo tra i fanciulli e conclude sempre ogni suo dire con la sublime parola: "Paradiso! Paradiso!..." A 48 anni una grave malattia colpisce Filippo, si teme il peggio, tanto che