Gawande, a surgeon, staff writer for The New Yorker, and author of 2002's Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science, and two other books, looks at how we as Americans face the end of life. Whether it is the care of the elderly, or catastrophic illness in younger people, medicine has significantly altered where we die and how we die. In many cases despite our lengthened lifespans how we die has changed for the worse, even if death comes later for most of us than it did for our forebears.
Gawande compares our twentieth century idea of nursing homes and intrusive medical-centered care to how we faced the end of life throughout most of human history and how more recent innovations in care can provided a setting that allows the patient more control over their own end.
Assisted living in its original incarnation, small patient-centered housing facilities, and quality hospice care can all help ease the physical suffering and loss of self-worth that can accompany nursing care. A thoughtful, intelligent look at an issue that most of us will face for ourselves or for our family members. Gawande is an excellent writer, and this is a timely thought provoking book.
We had a excellent book discussion about this in March.
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