Reappraising ‘the good death’ for populations in the age of ageing

Pollock, Kristian; Seymour, Jane

Abstract

This is the second in an occasional series of paired commentaries in Age and Ageing, the Journal of the British Geriatrics Society and the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (JAGS). The aim is to address issues of current significance and to foster dialogue and increased understanding between academics and clinicians working in comparative international settings. Both commentaries address the urgent need to improve palliative care for older people, with a critique of some stereotypes surrounding palliative care and the ‘good death’. The companion commentary, published in JAGS, was written by Alexander Smith and Vyjeyanthi Periyakoil, and is grounded in their experience as academic clinicians (Smith AK, Periyakoil V. Should we bury ‘The Good Death’? Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 2018; in press). In the present paper, we offer a perspective on the outcome and wider consequences of misalignment between current UK policy and aspirations for end of life care in relation to epidemiological trends and patient experience of death and dying.

Citation

Pollock, K., & Seymour, J. (2018). Reappraising ‘the good death’ for populations in the age of ageing. Age and Ageing, 47(3), 328-330. https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy008

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 25, 2018
• Publication Date: Mar 6, 2018
• Deposit Date: Mar 28, 2018
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 7, 2019
• Journal: Age and Ageing
• Print ISSN: 0002-0729
• Electronic ISSN: 1468-2834
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 47
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 328-330
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/ageing/afy008
• Keywords: older people, palliative care, good death, choice, multiple morbidity
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/918870
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/ageing/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ageing/afy008/4877321
• Additional Information: This is a pre-copyedited, author-produced version of an article accepted for publication in Age and Ageing following peer review. The version of record, Kristian Pollock, Jane Seymour; Reappraising ‘the good death’ for populations in the age of ageing is available online at: https://academic.oup.com/ageing/advance-article/doi/10.1093/ageing/afy008/4877321.
• Contract Date: Mar 28, 2018