At Peace Choosing a Good Death After a Long Life

Most people say they would like to die quietly at home. But inaccurate medical advice, coupled with an unrealistic sense of invincibility, is resulting in over 75,000 elderly patients misguidedly dying every year in the intensive care unit of a hospital undergoing painful procedures, instead of having a good and peaceful death. At Peace outlines specific active and passive steps that older patients and their health care proxies can take to help loved ones die comfortably at home when further aggressive care is inappropriate. Dr. Harrington explains why doctors often fail to see when to stop treatment to help the patient have a better life prior to their death, he will describe the patterns of the five chronic diseases that lead to death, and how to recognize a terminal diagnosis even when the doctor is not clear about it. And, from a more practical standpoint, he will guide the reader through how to have the hard conversation with your loved one, when to seek hospice care (that may very well help you live longer), and how to deal with dementia and other special issues. Informed by thirty years of clinical practice, during which Harrington observed too many medicalized deaths in futile situations, he came to understand that the American health care system was not designed to treat the aging population with care and compassion. His work as a hospice trustee and later as a hospital trustee informed his passion for helping aged patients make appropriate end-of-life decisions.

The authoritative, informative, and practical follow up to BEING MORTAL, on end-of-life care for patients over the age of 65.
Most people say they would like to die quietly at home. But overly aggressive medical advice, coupled with an unrealistic sense of invincibility, results in the majority of elderly patients misguidedly dying in institutions while undergoing painful procedures, instead of having the better and more peaceful death they desired.At Peace outlines specific active and passive steps that older patients and their health care proxies can take to insure loved ones pass their last days comfortably at home and/or in hospice, when further aggressive care is inappropriate. Through Dr. Harrington's own experience with his parents and patients, he describes the terminal patterns of the six most common chronic diseases; how to recognize a terminal diagnosis even when the doctor is not clear about it; how to have the hard conversation about end-of-life wishes; how to minimize painful treatments; when to seek hospice care; and how to deal with dementia and other special issues. Informed by more than thirty years of clinical practice, Dr. Harrington came to understand that the American health care system wasn't designed to treat the aging population with care and compassion. His work as a hospice trustee and later as a hospital trustee informed his passion for helping patients make appropriate end-of-life decisions.

The authoritative, informative, and reassuring guide on end-of-life care for our aging population.
Most people say they would like to die quietly at home. But overly aggressive medical advice, coupled with an unrealistic sense of invincibility or overconfidence in our health-care system, results in the majority of elderly patients misguidedly dying in institutions. Many undergo painful procedures instead of having the better and more peaceful death they deserve.AT PEACE outlines specific active and passive steps that older patients and their health-care proxies can take to ensure loved ones live their last days comfortably at home and/or in hospice when further aggressive care is inappropriate. Through Dr. Samuel Harrington's own experience with the aging and deaths of his parents and of working with patients, he describes the terminal patterns of the six most common chronic diseases; how to recognize a terminal diagnosis even when the doctor is not clear about it; how to have the hard conversation about end-of-life wishes; how to minimize painful treatments; when to seek hospice care; and how to deal with dementia and other special issues.Informed by more than thirty years of clinical practice, Dr. Harrington came to understand that the American health-care system wasn't designed to treat the aging population with care and compassion. His work as a hospice trustee and later as a hospital trustee drove his passion for helping patients make appropriate end-of-life decisions.