The medical field is evolving rapidly and along with providing efficient treatments to patients, one aspect of medical science, which is associated with death and dying has spread its feet among people, so they are becoming more aware of it, which is thanatology.
With the help of traditional medical care, people get the best possible treatments for their conditions or diseases and gradually get better. However, people can’t imagine what pain patients suffer when they go through treatment, especially when they are terminally ill.
The concept of thanatology is associated with providing support to patients to enhance their physical capability and mental peace that they often lose due to the stress and pain they suffer. Diseases do not come alone, they bring emotional, physical, cognitive, and social stress with them along with pain.
Patients combat diseases but when the medical care journey becomes longer, they start to lose their hope of recovery and courage to endure pain gradually. Thanatological care allows people to help patients by supporting them in their journey without medical treatments. Thanatology may not help them recover physically, but it assists them in holding to hope and reduces the cognitive stress that occurs due to severe and long-term illnesses.
Thanatology is one of the aspects of medical science, that is evolving rapidly in the modern era, and studies and research show that it’s an emerging trend that can significantly be beneficial for terminally ill people. One of these emerging trends of thanatology lies in palliative care and end-of-life care.
Palliative Care
The field of palliative care is expanding much like the rest of the medical field. There just seems to be so much more knowledge being discovered, in addition to the growing concern for the quality of life of patients as they fight terminal diseases. Thanatology is still emerging as a field that informs and supplements studies on pain control and psychological assistance and a more comprehensive approach to the care of the dying. Also, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that the development of thanatology can play a significant role in patients’ recovery with quality medical care. Currently, there is a growing focus on patient-centered and family-sensitive approaches that will enhance and deliver patient-centered, family-focused care that enhances the physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being of patients and families.
End-of-Life Care
End-of-life care is significantly associated with the enhancement of terminally ill patients’ mood. End-of-life care supports people emotionally, physically, socially, and spiritually. It helps develop a positive environment around the patient and supports them in their end-of-life journey.
Thanatology plays a vital role in the end-of-life care of a patient as every patient has different mindsets, opinions, and physical conditions. Thanatologists often gather background information about a patient regarding their medical history, opinions, and social life, so that they can provide better support to them.
Thanatology is a huge field, which is still in its evolving state, it still needs to be figured out, how well thanatologists can do to help people with critical medical conditions in their end-of-life journey.
Effects of Societal Attitude on the Future of Thanatology
People’s perception of death is changing due to different cultural, ethical, and religious factors. The modern liberalization of euthanasia and especially the choices for end-of-life care and funeral burial practices are altering the ways of facing death. With the decline of religion in societies and the shift to secular and pluralistic ones, there is a shift towards individualism and person-specific customs. This change is generating a higher interest and attention toward unconventional dying and the concept of cultural sensitivity in hospice care.
Society leaves a great impact on people’s opinions and so does it on thanatology. Thanatological care is based on the different perceptions of death and dying among people. If the perception changes gradually, the study needs to upgrade its horizons based on new theories or societal perceptions regarding palliative care or hospice.
Grief and Mourning
The role of thanatology is significant in the phases of grief and mourning. It does not only support people in their end-of-life care but there is more to it. Thanatology aims to support people in death and dying conditions, however, this terminology is also applicable to those who lose their loved ones and struggle with grief and mourning.
Thanatologists also serve as counselors who can support people dealing with grief and mourning. In this fast-paced world, people do not only mourn over losing someone but there could be more reasons and possibilities to encounter situations of grief and mourning. Sometimes, people’s past or current regrets, social anxiety, external pressure, and influences can also put people in situations of grief.
Thanatology has a wide scope in the field of grief and mourning. Depending on the varied and numerous conditions of people, the perspectives of looking at things become wider, which can definitely enhance in the future.
Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia
The concept of assisted suicide and euthanasia is increasing in a few countries like the Netherlands and Canada. Even though this concept is quite complicated to debate and has more negative impacts than positive ones, some people agree with it as well.
Also, sometimes there can be situations like forced suicide rather than assisted suicide, which remain hidden from the outside world and people have to suffer all this mental pressure by themselves.
Thanatology has a broad concept in this context. People can actually hold on to their hopes and get rid of the negative impacts or influences that put them in a condition to opt for euthanasia or assisted suicide with the support of thanatology. Since this is an emerging topic, thanatology can also grow wider in this field.
Interdisciplinary Approaches
Interdisciplinary cooperation is one of the primary areas that will define the future development of thanatology. So, there is an opportunity for integrating knowledge from the fields of psychology, sociology, medicine, and technology that can provide researchers and practitioners with new bright ideas in the field of death-related research and practices. This approach will ensure that since death and dying are complex situations or phenomena, more support must be offered to both – individuals and families.
In short, thanatology is undergoing a massive positive change due to technological developments, social perception, and medical practices. Over time, it can only broaden the understanding of the death phenomenon and contribute more diverse and effective approaches to the management of the terminal state and assistance in mourning.
Last Updated on by Icy Tales Team