jack oughton and claire king - who wants to live forever - exploring death

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COPING  WITH  OLD  AGE  &  ILLNESS   “Rapid   response   teams   are   going   to   be   the   future,   where   the   carers   visit   the   service   users   only   after   leaving   hospital.     After      

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Page 1: Jack Oughton and Claire King - Who Wants To Live Forever - Exploring Death
Page 2: Jack Oughton and Claire King - Who Wants To Live Forever - Exploring Death

(Clare-­‐07039875)  (Dawn-­‐07013647)                                                                                SP1S09  Intro-­‐Science  Communication                                                      Who  wants  to  live  forever?  (Pippa-­‐07031297)  (Jack-­‐07023367)                                            

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Who  wants  to  live  forever?  Have  you  ever  sat  and  wondered  when,  how  and  at  what  age  you  are  going  to  die?  Well   I  guess  most  of  us  have.    An  attempt  to  highlight  a  few  issues  from,  getting  older,  prolonging  life  and  conscious  decisions  on  how  we  want  to  die,  really  brings  to  the  fore  the  concept  of  death  and  immortality.      

The  life  expectancy  of  humans  has  been  steadily  increasing  at  a  rate  of  2.2  years  per  decade  (or  5  hours  a  day)  for  the   last  100  years  (New  Scientist,  p.42).  Due  to  advances   in  medical  technology,  quality  of   life  and  medication,  prolonged   life  expectancy  does  not  seem  to  be  slowing  down.  Whether  it  is  in  the  interest  of  medical  science  or  for  the  interest  of  mankind  we  shall  not  know,  both  seem  to  work  hand  in  hand.    We  also  must  consider  the  impact  of  longevity  on  the  availability  of  resources  for  increasing  world  populations.  

 

COPING  WITH  OLD  AGE  &  ILLNESS  

For  the  very  young  the  issue  of  death  does  not  really  emerge,  unless  they  experience  events  of  death,  either  through  their  own  trials  of   illness  or  other  peoples.     It   is   the  older   generations   that   think   about  ‘passing   on’   and   what   they   will  experience.      

An   interview   with   Jennifer   Andrews,  recently   retired   home   care   assistant   for  social   services   after   25   years,   tells   us   of  her   clients   who   think   about   their   own  death;   how   the   elderly   and   infirm   suffer  quite   painful   and   humiliating   lives;   living  with   the   process   of   degeneration   of   the  body  and  mind.  

Do   you   think   social   service   facilities  provide  enough  care?        

“Everybody   is   assessed   to   their   needs  but  due  to  lack  of  funding  it  is  often  impossible  to  provide  full  care,  which  is  four  visits  per  day.    As  most  clients  have  to  pay  for  their  service,   there   is   an   economic   limit   that  people   can   afford;   often   having   to   leave  out   important   care   needs,   because   they  don’t   have   the   money.     Therefore   family  have   to   become   involved,   if   indeed   they  are  able”.    

Do  clients  talk  about  death  and  how  they  would  like  to  die?  

“Yes,   they   often   say   ‘I   wish   I   could   die  tomorrow’,  loneliness  is  as  much  a  killer  as  a   terminal   illness,  especially   if   they  are   in  24  hour  pain.    Usually  it  is  only  the  face  of  the  carer  that  they  see  and  talk  over  their  problems   with.     We   are   usually   their  lifeline.    

Where   do   you   think   social   care   will   be  heading  in  the  future?  

“Rapid  response  teams  are  going  to  be  the  future,   where   the   carers   visit   the   service  users   only   after   leaving   hospital.     After  

 

Page 3: Jack Oughton and Claire King - Who Wants To Live Forever - Exploring Death

(Clare-­‐07039875)  (Dawn-­‐07013647)                                                                                SP1S09  Intro-­‐Science  Communication                                                      Who  wants  to  live  forever?  (Pippa-­‐07031297)  (Jack-­‐07023367)                                            

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recovery   is   apparent   the   clients   are   then  re-­‐assessed,   care   may   be   reduced  especially  where  family  is  available  to  take  over  their  care”.      

As  people  are  living  longer  what  affect  do  you  think  it  will  have  on  family  structure?  

“If   the   family   is   prepared   to   take  on   care  of   a   relative   it   will   greatly   affect   family  life,   putting   strain   on   relationships,  finance  and  freedom;  often  breaking  down  a  family  unit.    Because  of  the  lack  good  of  homes   for   the   elderly,   family   are   often  pressured  into  taking  on  care  full  time”    

How  do  you   feel   about   your   future  now  you  have  retired?  

“Well   it   does   worry   me.   I   suffer   from  Arthritis  and  I  hope  that  if  I  need  care  I  will  find  a  good  carer   just   like   I  was.    But   I  do  have  support  from  family  when  I  need  it”  •  

 

Medicines   have   proved   to   be   good   at  curing   some   infections   or   conditions,   so  much   so   that  death   can  be  postponed  or  eliminated   in   the   short   term   (New  Scientist,   p.43).   Unfortunately   the   by  product   of   this   is   that   people   live   longer  into  old  age,  when  extreme  degenerative  diseases   and   the   use   of   medicines,   can  cause   long   term   suffering.     Even   major  causes   of   death   like   a   heart   attack   have  now   been   changed   to   a   lesser   heart  failure.      

Conditions   usually   thought   of   in   the   past  as   certain   cause   for   death,   such   as  diabetes,   AIDS   and   many   cancers   have  now   become   manageable   disabilities  (New  Scientist,  p.43).  Aging  is  a  fact  of  life  and   a   condition   that   must   be  acknowledged.     We   should   stop   thinking  about   what   we   suffer   at   the   end   of   life  and   find   out   how   to   cure   the   aging  process   and   the   ailments   that   come  with  

it.     People   should   be   given   the   option   to  choose  how  and  when  they  die.      

Many   people   feel   they   still   have   a   lot   to  give  to  humanity,  feeling  their  time  in  this  world   is   too   short   and   would   like   to   live  forever.     Preservation   of   their   bodies   for  future   advances   in  medical   technology   is  the   only   chance   of   living   again.     Some  cannot  wait  to  leave  this  world  as  they  but  would  like  to  ‘choose’  how  they  die.      

Euthanasia   is   a   humane   system   of   dying  for   human   beings,   usually   by   a   self  administered   lethal   injection.     It   is   only  considered   when   the   person   is   sane   and  has  no  hope  of  recovery  from  a  condition  that   is   slowly   degenerative   over   time,  often  seeming   like   torture   to   the  patient.  Unfortunately   British   Legislation   states   it  is  unlawful   to   take  one’s  own   life   in   such  circumstances  (EDM,  BMA).  

What   is   death?    How   can  we  understand  its  processes  to  the  body  and  mind?    

 

MISDIAGNOSIS  &  DEFINITION  OF  DEATH  

The   fear   of   death   is   completely   natural  and  valuable  to  have,  because  it  is  part  of  our   ‘fight   or   flight’   mechanism   that   has  evolved  over  millions  of  years.    Everybody  is   afraid   of   death,   because   our   own  consciousness   is   the   only   consciousness  we   really   know;   we   all   have   trouble  conceiving  our  own  death.    

There  are  three  different  fears  of  death:      

The   first   fear   is   the   actual   process   of  dying;   some   people   think   that   how   one  dies   is  a  measure  of   the  way   in  which  he  has  lived.    So  a  good  death  is  an  indication  of   a   good   life.    We   are   afraid   that   death  

Page 4: Jack Oughton and Claire King - Who Wants To Live Forever - Exploring Death

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will   be   painful   and  we  will   be   frightened  and  therefore  we  will  not  die  in  peace  and  dignity.      

The  second  fear  of  death  is  what  happens  after   we   die.    Most   people   believe   in   an  afterlife.   As   long   as   they   believe   an  afterlife  will   be  pleasant   and  happy,   they  have  nothing  to  fear.    However  if  a  person  believes   his/her   afterlife   is   going   to   be  painful  or  unpleasant;  thinking  he/she  will  be   punished   in   some   kind   of   hell,   then  there  will  be  a  fear  of  death.  

The   third   fear   of   death   is   the   fear   of  extinction.     Death   as   an   end   of   all  consciousness,  as  a  blank  or  nothingness,  is   something   to   fear.     Studies   of   people  who   are   actually   near   death,   indicates,  that   fear   is   not   a   reaction   to   impending  death.     People   who   are   terminally   ill   go  through  a   series  of   stages   that   can   result  in  the  acceptance  of  death  and  a  peaceful  expiration.    People  who  are  elderly  reveal  that   impending   death   brings   more  depression   than   fear,   although   some  elderly  actually  welcome  death.    Younger,  healthier   people   who   are   further   from  death   have   a   greater   fear   of   death   than  people   who   are   old   and   ill   and   closer   to  death.  (Solve  your  problem).  

These   three   studies   show   how   different  types   of   people   cope   with   death;   some  fear  it  while  others  accept  it.  

There   are   many   different   ways   of   dying;  the   following   are   just   a   few   that   people  might  prefer.  

Drowning   has   a   certain   dark   romance   to  it.     People   just   slip   beneath   the   waves.  Suffocating   to   death   in   water   is   neither  

pretty   nor   painless,   though   surprisingly  swift  (New  Scientist,  p.54).  

Heart  attack  is  the  most  common  form  of  death.     This   can   cause   sudden   pain,  desperate   chest-­‐clutching   and   immediate  collapse  (New  Scientist,  p54).  

Fire   is   a   long  and  painful  death.     The  hot  smoke   burns   the   throat   and   airways,  which   makes   it   hard   to   breath.     Burns  inflict   immediate   and   intense   pain  through   stimulation  of   the  pain  nerves   in  the  skin  (New  Scientist,  p.55)  

As  well  as  these  ways  of  dying  there  is  old  age   and   terminal   illness,   such   as   cancer.    People  with  terminal  illness  or  people  that  are   elderly   fade   away   slowly.     They   can  decide   where   they   would   like   to   die,   or  some   might   refer   to   it   as,   ‘To   Rest   in  Peace’.      

 A   survey   was   carried   out   of   ten   people;  they  were  asked  where  they  would  prefer  to  die.    

These  are  the  results:  

 

 

Where  do  people  prefer  to  die?  

%  of  people  

At  home   74  In  a  hospice      5  In  a  hospital      2  No  preference   19  

Page 5: Jack Oughton and Claire King - Who Wants To Live Forever - Exploring Death

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Near   death   experiences   can   happen   all  the   time   and   can   be   unexpected.     For  instance  someone  who  has  a  heart  attack  can  survive  depending  on  how  severe  the  attack   is.     Also   many   accidents   such   as  drowning,   road   collision   etc,   can   be   the  result   of   a   near   death   experience.     The  person   could   loose   consciousness   for   a  while   but   then   somehow   become  resuscitated  and  breathe  again.  

There   is   a   case   study   about   a   person  called   Pam   Reynolds,   who   had   survived  whole   brain   death.     Pam’s   extraordinary  near   death   experience   occurred   while  undergoing   a   rare   surgical   procedure   to  remove  a  brain  aneurysm.  

The  procedure  required:  

1. Her   to   be   put   unconscious   using  anaesthetic  

2. Her   body   temperature   lowered   to  60  degrees  

3. Her  heart  and  breathing  stopped    4. The  brain  waves  allowed  to  flatten,  

and  5. The  blood  drained  from  the  head    

 

While   in   this   condition  she   floated  out  of  her   body   and   watched   the   doctors  operate   on   her   lifeless   body.     Later   she  was   able   to   describe   the   surgical  instruments,   the   conversation   and   the  procedures  performed  during  her  surgery  (NDE  &  Death).  

Consider  these  near  death  experiences  for  a   while,   Can   we   manipulate   brains   and  cryogenically   preserve   humans   to   extend  life   after   illness   and   death   then   repair  them  in  the  future?    

     

LIFE  EXTENSION  

One  way   that   the   human   race   has   come  up   with   when   it   comes   to   dealing   with  death   is   simply   to   extend   life.   There   are  several   ways   to   do   this,   however   at   this  stage   these   methods   are   mostly  theoretical  and  are  not  yet  in  practice.  

Cryogenics  is  the  process  in  which  a  living  body   is   frozen   so   that   it  may   be   brought  back   to   life   at   some   point   in   the   future.  Most   people   who   express   an   interest   in  this  branch  of   life  extension  are   suffering  from  a   long-­‐term  medical  condition.  They  live   in   hope   that   if   they   are   frozen   in   a  cryogenic   chamber,   they  will   be   ‘brought  back’  at  a  time  in  the  future  that  there  is  a  cure   for   the   illness   they   are   suffering  from.  

There   are   two   major   problems   when   it  comes  to  bringing  people  back  to  life  after  being  cryogenically  frozen.  The  first  is  that  when   a   body   is   frozen,  most   of   the   cells  are   destroyed   by   ice   crystals   forming  inside  them.  The  other  problem  is  that  if  a  body   is   successfully   brought   back   to   life,  any  healthy  cells  that  are   left   in  the  body  die   due   to   lack   of   food   and   oxygen   (The  Straight  Dope).  

Another  method  of  eternal   life   is  through  technological   means.   Detailed   images   of  the   brain   have   already   been   taken,   but  some  researchers  have  a  more  impressive  aim.   They   plan   to   use   the   methods   of  dissecting   and   studying   the   brain   in   the  hope   that   the   thoughts   and   emotions  contained   within   it   can   be   downloaded  onto   a   computer,   allowing   the   person   to  

Page 6: Jack Oughton and Claire King - Who Wants To Live Forever - Exploring Death

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live  eternally  as  a  machine  (New  Scientist,  p.46).  

Some   people   prefer   this   theory   to  cryogenics,   for   one   main   reason.   With  cryogenics,  once  a  body  has  been  brought  back  to  life  after  being  frozen,  the  person  is  still  going  to  die  after  a  period  of   time.  But   with   this   technological   immortality,  the   person   can   exist   as   a   machine   for  eternity   –   they   would   actually   be  immortal.  

Of   course,   the   average   lifespan   has  already   been   extended   in   the   past   100  years   or   so.   In   the   19th   Century,   the  average   person  was   not   expected   to   live  beyond  the  age  of  around  50.  Yet  in  2004,  the   average   life   expectancy   was   almost  80.  This   is   a   vast   increase   in   such  a   short  space   of   time,   due   to   improvements   in  quality  of   life   (National   Center   for  Health  Statistics).  

This   graph   shows   the   increase   in   life   expectancy   from  1900  to  2004.    

 

As  you  can  see  from  the  graph,  there  has  been   a   steady   increase   in   life   expectancy  over  this  time  (National  Center  for  Health  Statistics).   At   some   point   in   the   future,  who  knows  how,  high  life  expectancy  may  rise?   It   may   come   to   a   point   that   it   is   a  common  occurrence  for  people  to   live  up  to  150  years  old  or  maybe  even  more.  

Whatever   happens   in   the   future,   the  human   race   is   always   going   to   be  interested   in   ways   of   extending   life.  Whether   this   is   for   personal   reasons,   or  due   to   the   fear   of   dying,   may   not   be  known.  But   the  business  of   life  extension  may   become   a   lot   more   popular   in   the  near  future.  

 Life   Extension  magazine   is   the  monthly   publication   of  the   Life   Extension   Foundation,   a   non-­‐profit  organization,  whose  long-­‐range  goal  is  the  extension  of  the  healthy  human  lifespan