Book review

Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End by Atul Gawande

The author in this book makes it clear that everyone has to die regardless of how careful or healthful their habits are. He highlights that everybody will have to die possibly after decline and weakness for a long period of time. He gives an example of an average American who spends one year or even more disabled in a nursing home. He even shows that the medical system will not be of great help to them in the end (Gawande, p.3). The end days of old people are given over to treatments that destroy their brains and the body for the benefit of the care givers. This increases the harm inflicted on the people as they do not have the chance to do what they feel like. He also gives the example of his wife’s grandmother who was taken to a nursing home when she was old. The grandmother felt incarcerated as if she was jailed for old age (Gawande, p.3).

The author argues that all patients and families have a desired goal which is the quality of life. His words are good and helpful because reading this book would enlighten the minds of the younger people on how to take care of the elderly. He states that they should not be taken to nursing homes because they only feel as prisoners when they are there. He gives an example of other solutions for this which includes models that will make them feel and socially active. He also indicates that the last days of old people should be happier, dignified and prosperous. He also gives examples of how family members can offer support to the elderly in order for them to have a good ending (Gawande, p.3).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Work Cited

Gawande, Atul. Being Mortal: Ageing, Illness, Medicine, and What Matters in the End. , 2014. Internet resource.