What Is Age Based Rationing of Care Discussion Questions

While it may be a dreary note to end on, it’s one developmental phase that we will all go through at one point or another! For this last discussion, use the material from Chapter 15 to inform your answers. Feel free to include additional sources. We are going to explore a few main ideas from this chapter on death and dying.

Discussion questions:

1. What is age-based rationing of care? As asked in your book, should we rely on markers such as life expectancy or the quality of life to allocate who does and doesn’t receive medical care?
2. Examine the chart on page 454 that shows increases in the number of patients served by hospice care in the United States. Give reasons for this trend and why someone might prefer hospice care over other options.
3. The author of your book discusses the idea of a “good death.” What is meant by that? Consider the concepts in Table 15.1. If you could plan for a good death, what would that look like?
4. Physician-assisted suicide has received a lot of attention in recent years and the laws vary from state-to-state. What you your thoughts on this? Should it be legal? Why or why not? If legal, what kinds of parameters should be in place?