Aging and dying: medical and ethical considerations ; Envejecer y morir: consideraciones médicas y éticas ; Vieillir et mourir: des considerations d'odre medical et ethique ; Envelhecer e morrer: considerações médicas e éticas

Abstract

The idea of writing a chapter on aging seems particularly appropriate. I'm at the right age to address this topic. As I did the preparatory reading and research, I had an unusual experience. For the first time in my life, I felt like an expert. I could judge what people were saying about aging by my own experience. Besides facing aging myself, I work mainly with rural hospitals and nursing homes and hospice organizations where most of the patients are elderly. Both in my personal life and in my work, I am surrounded by the realities of aging and dying.In a recent book entitled Gray Dawn (1) on the economics and politics of aging, the author, Peter Peterson used a gripping metaphor to describe the challenge of an increasing aging population. Global aging, he said, is like a massive iceberg which very well could destroy even the most powerful economic vessels in the world. The aging population worldwide, according to this author, threatens human survival and is the most important challenge we face in the 21st century. His iceberg metaphor highlights the danger of global aging and the fact the all human beings are exposed to this danger. ; La idea de escribir un artículo sobre el envejecimiento, parece particularmente apropiada.Estoy en la edad precisa para abordar este tema. Como realicé toda la lectura e investigación preparatoria, tengo una experiencia poco común. Por primera vez en mi vida me siento como un experto. Puedo juzgar lo que se dice sobre envejecer desde mi propia experiencia. Además de enfrentar personalmente el envejecimiento, trabajo principalmente con hospitales rurales, casas de reposo y hospicios, donde la mayoría de los pacientes son ancianos. Tanto en mi vida personal como en mi trabajo estoy rodeado por las realidades de envejecer y morir.En una publicación reciente, titulada Graysobre la economía Dawn [ Gris Amanecer] (1), y política del envejecimiento, el autor, Peter Peterson, usó una impresionante metáfora para describir el desafío de una creciente población que envejece. El ...