- active euthanasia
- administration of an outside agent, such as a lethal amount of a drug, to cause death
- advance directive
- legal document that specifies what a person’s wishes are in the event they are unable to express them at some point in the future
- assisted suicide
- (also, medical aid in dying [MAID]) procedure in which a doctor knowingly prescribes a dose of medication knowing the patient intends to use it to end their life
- bereavement
- experience of the death of a loved one
- biological death
- permanent state of death in which vital organs have stopped working and cannot be resuscitated
- blunting
- coping style associated with avoiding information, particularly bad news
- brain death
- death that occurs when the brain has permanently stopped working
- cardiopulmonary death
- death that occurs when heartbeat and breathing have stopped and cannot be restarted through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or other means
- clinical death
- potentially temporary state of death in which a person’s vital organs have stopped working but could be resuscitated
- complicated grief
- form of grief that lasts longer than is typical and is also associated with long-term adjustment problems; described as “prolonged grief disorder” in the DSM-V-TR
- death anxiety
- person’s concern about what awaits them after death
- do not hospitalize (DNH)
- legal document stating that a person does not want to be hospitalized (and therefore receive unwanted medical treatment) in the event of serious illness
- do not intubate (DNI)
- legal document stating that a person does not want breathing tubes inserted into their nose or mouth in the event they stop breathing
- do not resuscitate (DNR)
- legal document stating that if a person’s heart stops beating or breathing stops, they do not want CPR or other measures taken to revive them
- dual-process model
- model of grieving consisting of two stages: loss orientation and restoration orientation; developed by Stroebe and Schut
- durable power of attorney for health care
- legal document authorizing a specific person to make health-care decisions for someone else
- dying trajectory
- pathway to death that varies on dimensions such as the nature and rate of decline
- euthanasia
- act of ending life in a painless manner to relieve pain and suffering
- excess mortality
- number of deaths above what would typically occur in a given time period
- executor
- person in charge of filing relevant paperwork and fulfilling the conditions in someone’s will
- grief
- internal, emotional reaction to loss
- health-care proxy
- person legally authorized to make health-care decisions for someone, or a legal document that gives a person that authority
- home care
- medical services provided in the patient’s residence
- hospice care
- type of care provided if a person’s condition is uncurable or treatment would be too stressful; includes managing physical symptoms, including pain, as well as addressing the spiritual and emotional needs of the patient and their loved ones
- intestate
- circumstance of dying without a will
- Kübler-Ross’s themes of grief
- cognitive, emotional, and behavioral reactions to our own impending death, encompassing denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance
- legacy activities
- activities in which a person creates an artifact that represents their life and for which they want to be remembered, such as a photo album, scrapbook, cookbook, or letters written to loved ones
- life review
- thoughtful examination of our own life, often focused on integrating both positive and negative memories into a coherent whole
- life satisfaction
- contentment with our current circumstances
- living will
- legal document specifying a person’s wishes regarding life-sustaining medical treatment in the event they are unable to express these wishes when treatment is needed
- loss orientation
- reaction to loss in which the bereaved person addresses the emotional aspects of the loss by accepting the situation and sharing grief with others
- middle knowledge
- intermediate step of grieving in which a person knows a loss is coming or has occurred but has not fully accepted the reality of it
- monitoring
- coping style characterized by the seeking out of information
- mourning
- outward, behavioral manifestation of grief
- outgroup bias
- negative feelings about people we feel are different than us
- palliative care
- type of medical care that manages symptoms and relieves pain but does not try to cure the underlying medical condition
- passive euthanasia
- withdrawal or withholding of potentially life-sustaining treatment
- probate court
- type of legal court that handles matters related to wills and guardianships
- quality of life
- person’s perception of how good their life is in the context of their values, goals, and cultural norms
- rationing of care
- practice of limiting the use of health-care resources for patients who have little or no chance of recovery
- reminiscence
- recollection and sharing of memories and stories, typically pleasant ones
- restoration orientation
- reaction to loss in which the bereaved person copes with the changes brought about by a loved one’s death, including changes to or the addition of relationships and roles
- social death
- exclusion from social interactions and considerations; when a person is viewed as not being part of society
- terror management theory
- theory that when our sense of self is threatened, we try to preserve it by becoming more committed to cultural values and showing more outgroup bias
- thanatologist
- researcher who studies the biological, psychological, and/or social aspects of death
- will
- legal document containing instructions for what to do with a person’s assets, property, and dependents after death