Amy Bloom | A “Good” Death (and why we need to talk about it)

Philosophy

Jonathan Fields and Amy Bloom explore the concept of a "good death" and its integral role in living a good life. Jonathan emphasizes the importance of having open and honest conversations about death to avoid leaving our final moments to fate or others' decisions 1. Amy shares her personal experience with her husband's decision to avoid "the long goodbye" after his Alzheimer's diagnosis 1. She reflects on the importance of understanding one's own wishes and the complexities involved in making end-of-life decisions 2.

Once the decision is made and you're having the conversations with family and close friends, then the focus is, okay, how does this actually happen?

--- Jonathan Fields

The discussion highlights the need for agency and informed choices in the face of life's inevitable end.

   

Morality

The moral and ethical dimensions of choosing one's end-of-life path are deeply explored by Amy and Jonathan. They discuss how societal views often complicate these decisions, yet organizations like Dignitas strive to provide agency without imposing external morality 3. Amy recounts her husband's clarity and readiness to make his final decision, emphasizing the importance of discernment and self-determination 4.

I respected that process. And having sort of him having a final interview with the psychiatrist to sort of continue to do the assessment of his cognitive functioning.

--- Amy Bloom

This conversation underscores the belief that supporting individuals in their end-of-life choices is a moral obligation.