CPHSSWCE0082 - Dying in the 21st Century: Ethical issues in end-of-life care
Course Description
Course Description: Dying in the 21st Century provides a solutions-based, ethical discussion of aging and death in contemporary times relevant to social work. This is a seminar about ethical issues in end-of-life care, including physician-aid-in-dying. But this is also a discussion about what it means to live well, and ultimately what it means to have a good life, and therefore a good death. We look at topics such as the cost of healthcare, the cost of caregiving, and the cost of housing for older adults. We also explore barriers to end-of-life preparation and hospice care. We discuss complications such as dementia and mental health issues. We look at the positive and creative benefits of thinking outside the box, of exploring solutions to aging well, such as pet therapy. We discuss medical marijuana and its benefits and risks. We look at LGBT older adults and the specific challenges they face. We train our students to identify legal documents such as health-care directives and power of attorney forms.
Target Audience: Intermediate Level
Continuing Education Clock Hours: 3 Hours
Course Outline
Event Agenda:
- SW and bioethics
- Overview of terms
- Physician aid in dying
- Differences in States
- Timeline of EOL care
- LBGT Older Adults
- Relationship between current care and best practice
Learner Outcomes
At the end of this course, participants will be able to do the following:
- identify conflicting legal and moral issues as they pertain to end-of-life care
- identify different social and economic impacts on the process of dying
- apply various skills in ethical discussions and ethical decision-making
- utilize new knowledge in ethical decision-making