Hospice and Attitudes Towards Death

Attitudes towards dying, death, and bereavement are very dependent upon culture. Some cultures embrace death as a natural part of the life cycle and do not attach fear to death. Other cultures are very fearful of the topic of death and treat it like a taboo. "In many preliterate societies, the dead are imbued with special powers and considered potentially harmful to the living. Many customs and funereal rituals surrounding death represent efforts to ensure the well-being of the community" (Quadagno, 2008). However, individual attitudes towards death and dying can vary within a community. Modern society certainly reflects a wide range of feelings towards death and dying. Some people still avoid the topic of death as a taboo, while others are much more comfortable with the idea.

One of the most interesting movements in modern medicine has been the hospice movement. After years of medicine...
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