On The Fear Of Death Kudler-Ross Summary

“On the Fear of Death,” by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, is an essay that examines the increases in medical technology that may be responsible for a greater fear of death, more emotional problems, and an important need to understand the circumstances involved with death. In my opinion, this is an excellent essay that describes how different cultures and individuals have dealt with death through traditions. Kubler-Ross also describes how people may be affected emotionally with the death of a loved one and different ways children are involved and taught about death. She seems to be a great supporter of people dying at home under care in a comfortable environment. Dying at home can help the survivors be more at ease with the thought of their own death, decrease emotional problems associated with death, and help with the understanding of the required decisions regarding the circumstances of death.
The first point that Kubler-Ross makes is the importance of acknowledging the inevitability of death. She says most people are concerned about dangers that cause an early death, such as being hit by a car, but do not consider dying of natural causes or old age. This fact may be a cause for fear of death. Since most people relate death to a dreadful act, it is something to be feared. This is not the case for someone dying at an old age. For this person, death
could be something to be welcomed. Therefore, much consideration should be given to the circumstances involving death.
The second point that Kubler-Ross makes is that the concept of death is something to be taken seriously.
Children, especially, do not see death as a permanent occurrence and sometimes compare it to a simple absence of someone. Children should be more involved with the care of their dying elders to alleviate the fear and better understand the concept of death. Kubler-Ross also states the serious nature of death concerning adults. While people may sometimes wish another dead, it would be a traumatic experience if that were to actually happen. The fear of death and a feeling of guilt would be an effect for wishing someone
dead.
Another point that Kubler-Ross makes is that the technological advances have made death more impersonal. Toward the end of one’s life another person may be making decisions the dying person is unable to make because of medications and other incapacitating effects. In this way, the dying person may not be experiencing the life and death they desire. Getting to experience death at home instead of a hospital helps the patient feel less lonely and more comfortable. While Kubler-Ross supports the use of medical technology to save lives, she feels a great need to place importance on patients’ emotional needs as well as physical needs.
A personal experience involving my grandparents has helped me overcome the fear of death and given me a greater understanding of the value of life. My grandmother died in a hospital from emphazema after enduring extensive medical treatments. These treatments may have prolonged the length of her life but decreased the value of her life. My grandfather observed all that she went through and chose to experience his own death in a different way. He saw an importance in experiencing a high quality of life without the coldness of medical treatments. Dying at home in his own bed was a decision he made and never thought twice about. The experience of my grandparents’ death has helped me learn to accept my own ending of life, overcome some emotional problems associated with death and begin to decide how I may want to experience death.