A Good Death: A Compassionate and Practical Guide to Prepare for the End of Life

Australian journalist Rice draws on her experience caring for her terminally ill mother and the accidental death of her brother in her strong debut, a useful guide to planning for death. She encourages readers to provide “quiet support” and comfort for their loved ones through the end of life, with or without home hospice care. She brushes aside taboos around talking about death with adequate but not gruesome detail about the process of dying, including spiritual experiences, visions, and incoherent mumblings, as well as physical changes to the body. She covers pain relief, addressing opioids and separating facts from rumors surrounding high morphine doses that can sometimes kill patients. In contrasting the approaches of acute hospital care and palliative care, Rice highlights the potential benefits of the latter—which is more concerned with “soul pain” or “the fear and distress of facing the finality of death”—for both those dying and those left living. She shows compassion with her realistic take on how grief often manifests and with practical tools for planning for one’s own death. This accessible guide is a solid starting place for readers concerned with end of life options. [em](Apr.) [/em]