Issues in Death and Dying

Masters Degree in Gerontology Counseling Psychology

GRC 600

Breyer State University
Instructor: Juan Kenigstein, PH.D, M.ED., GC-C

SYLLABUS

COURSE OVERVIEW: Welcome to Issues in Death and Dying, a Master Level course in the curriculum for the Degree, Master of Science in Gerontology Counseling Psychology. I'm pleased to offer you this course. This is an exciting course. This course will provide practical, specific intervention strategies in grief, dying and death. "The person who sets out to increase his or her knowledge of death and dying is embarking on an exploration that is partly a journey of personal discovery".

TIME FRAME: This is a four-semester hour course. This course is allotted ten weeks of time. You must complete all of the requirements for the course successfully by the end of the ten-week period. The first day of week one will begin the day that you register for the course, or the day which you notify me that your text book(s) have arrived and you are ready to begin your studies. Please be cognizant of the time frame. It is rare that extensions of time are permitted, unless you have good justification. Upon successful completion of this course, you will be awarded four semester hours of credit. Students may accelerate, but may not complete this course in less than four weeks.

TEXTBOOK: There are (2) required textbook for this course.

Book 1: The Last Dance: Encountering Death and Dying, DeDpelder & Strickland, McGraw Hill, 7th Edition, 2005: ISBN # 0-07-292096-3.

Book 2: A Journey Through The Last Dance: Activities and Resources, Despelder & Strickland, McGraw Hill, 2005: ISBN # 0-07-293047-0.

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EXAMINATIONS: There are 2 exams and several assignments.

GRADING: The grading scale for this course is as follows:

90-100%    = A
80-89%      = B
70-79%      = C
Below 70% = Fail

GRADING COMPOSITION:

15 Activities                             50%
Self evaluation                           5%
Discovery & Intention Statement 5%
Mid-Term Exam                        20%
Final Exam                               20%

TOTAL 100%

GOALS: The aim of education about death, dying and bereavement is to assess each individual's unique situation within a psychological, sociological, physiological, and socioeconomic framework. Also to understand your personal and professional feelings, fears and expectations, those factors affect patient care. The aim is to offer a comprehensive introduction to the study of Death, Dying and Bereavement. It emphasizes the positive values of compassion, listening, and tolerance for the view of others.

COMMUNICATION: You are encouraged to communicate with me. I am available as a teacher, coach, and mentor to assist you in meeting your goals for this course. Primarily, communication is through email. However, I am also available for conversation by telephone if you would like. Our classroom for this course has a "chat" room. I am also very willing to meet with you one-on-one in the chat room at your request. From time to time, depending on how many students are enrolled in this course at a particular time, we will have some scheduled group chats. You will receive more detailed information at the time such chat sessions are scheduled. Please keep my email address handy so that you can contact me whenever necessary. Upon registration, you will receive my email address. If at any time during this course you change your email address, please be sure to notify me right away.

METHODS: Readings from textbook, professional books and journals Self-awareness/exploration activities

COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course you will be able to:

1). Discuss the topic of death, thereby opening up previously avoided lines of communication with family and friends.
2). Seriously contemplate and accept the reality of one's death.
3). Understand some of the cross-cultural and cross-theological approaches to death.
4). Argue both sides of controversial issues related to death: Euthanasia, capital punishment, the funeral industry, and findings on life after death.
5). Understand issues related to homicide.
6). Develop some beginning skills to understand and communicate with terminally ill and bereaved people.
7). Understand the facts on suicide as well as suicide intervention techniques.
8). Understand the process of adjustment to a death to the extent that assistance can be offered to a friend or relative in time of need.
9). Plan one's funeral, burial, and estate in sufficient enough detail so as to place minimal burden on the family.
10).  Keep up to date with the present and future trends in medical and psychological attitudes toward death in order to gain insight into the workings of today's hospitals.
11). Understand the child's reactions to death and ways to offer support.
12). Understand the reactions to death of children, parents, siblings, and widowed persons as well as ways to offer assistance.
13).
14). List community services related to death and dying.
15). Challenge systems that continue to make our society one, which is death denying.
16). Explain common reactions to loss and suggestions for coping with it.

COURSE OUTLINE:

1). Attitudes Toward Death: A Climate of Change.
2). Learning About Death: The influence of Sociocultural Forces.
3). Perspectives About Death: Cross-Cultural and Historical.
4). Health Care Systems: Patients, Staff, and Institutions.
5). Death Systems: Matters of Public Policy.
6). Facing Death: Living with Life Threatening Illness.
7). End-of-Life Issues and Decisions.
8). Survivors: Understanding the Experience of Loss.
9). Last Rites: Funerals and Body Disposition.
10). Death in the Lives of Children and Adolescents.
11). Death in the Lives of Adults.
12). Suicide.
13). Risks of Death in the Modern World.
14). Beyond Death/After Life.
15). The Path Ahead: Personal and Social Choices.

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