ABSTRACT
On reaching older age, almost everyone will suffer physical or psychological trauma during their life's journey. For a parent, the death of a child, at any stage, is a major traumatic event. Our own death is indeed unimaginable; every one of us is convinced of his own immortality. The dying process is simply terrifying; there is a fear of a loss of dignity, loss of self-reliance, and that dying will be a painful experience. This is all critically associated with a loss of control whereby the locus of control has shifted from the dying person to those who will be caring for him or her. With greater openness in society through the media, the majority of the general population wishes to have assistance to end their lives when they are close to death. This is a desire to maintain or take back control of their own fate.
