ABSTRACT
Modern medicine has markedly changed the way people die. In the early
1900s people usually had a short period of illness prior to a rapid decline and death. Advances in public health and medical care have enabled people
to live longer and to survive many life-threatening events. Today, we have an
expanding number of people living with chronic diseases and experiencing
prolonged illness and disability. Modern technology and innovative medical
treatments have made it possible not only to prolong life, but also to
prolong the dying process when little hope for a meaningful recovery
exists. Most people, however, want more than just a longer life.
