ABSTRACT
Death has not been conquered; we are all terminally ill to some degree. In 1900, the average life expectancy was only 50 years and infant mortality was very high. Because of sanitation efforts and immunization programs, antibiotics, better management of acute illnesses and trauma, and improved chemotherapy, Americans now live well into their late 70s or 80s (Emanuel, von Gunten, & Ferris, 1999). Due to these advances, patients now expect to have prolonged experiences of living with chronic illnesses and ultimately dying.
