Topics: How Hospices, Palliative Care & Anointing of the Sick can help those who face death respond with dignity and courage.
This week we will be looking at the notion and experience of dying and the Sacrament of "Anointing the Sick". Our Learning Intention is to better understand death as something we all experience and have to learn to cope with. We will do this by examining how the media portrays death and how we can make the experience of death easier to bear for everyone concerned. We will be using multi-media to explore and record our learnings.
In this short talk, a doctor shares some of his observations about death in Australia.
ACTIVITY 6: "Death in the Media"
Firstly, check out this awesome article which shows the data about how death is recorded in Australia. It's an interactive display about the different diseases and causes of death in Australia, based on census data. Before you look at it, have a discussion about what you think are the leading causes of death in Australia. Now look and see if you are right!
Now...locate 3 media articles on the topic of death (There are some useful links here and here). They might be articles on specific people who have died (or have been murdered), or on an article about an incident in which a large number of people have died.
Respond in your Blog to each of the articles using the following guideline questions – you may extend your own responses by including other questions that you consider to be relevant. Answering the questions for each article, should take you about 150 words each.
1. Write down the citation for the article using appropriate bibliographical sourcing techniques.
2. Write a brief explanation of what the article is about.
3. Indicate whether or not examples of the ‘Stages of Grief’ are evident in the text and give examples.
4. What vocabulary is used in the text and what response does it elicit from the reader? Is the article trying to make you feel a particular way (sad, angry, hopeless...)
5. How would you describe the media's attitude to presenting stories about death?
Palliative Care is the specialised medical care of those who are dying. It takes a special person to work in this area. Here's one person's story about being involved with a palliative care team.
Class Discussion: How would you define 'a good death'? What does that mean to you? This short talk describes some of the things we can do NOW to ensure that we have a good death. Do you agree or disagree that this is possible?
Read the article A Good Death from The Age Newspaper (online edition). As a class, discuss what you believe the benefits of planning for your death with medical authorities might be, and how this can lead to "a good death" rather than a "bad death" (it is worth thinking about what the article means by those two terms). This article on Palliative Care, provides a slightly different perspective.
Amazing Four Corners program...
Watch the Four Corners report "A Good Death" (aired on ABC on 8/2/10). Here is description about what the show covers. The DVD is in our College Library. Isn't it interesting that both The Age and the Four Corners used the same title for their stories? Why do you think this is?
Using the knowledge you have gained from the Newspaper article and television show "A Good Death" in your blog, write a Newspaper report called "Why choose to use a Hospice when you're dying?" (it should be a very up-beat, positive report). You could include an explanation of:
the benefits to the person that is dying, especially during the stages (a) remaining at home, (b) early symptoms & moving into the Hospice and especially (c) the last days of dying.
the benefits to the family of that person (during each of the stages).
the strengths of the staff in taking on this special vocation (job), and the things that they can do to help.
some things that you would need to consider before contacting a Hospice.
The Report should be at least 400 words long.
ACTIVITY 8: ANOINTING OF THE SICK "Bringing Comfort to the Dying AND the Grieving".
When people are very ill and even dying, the Catholic Church offers a special Sacrament called the "Anointing of the Sick". This Sacrament can happen at Mass, or at the person's sickbed (at home or in hospital). Patients do not need to be dying to receive the Anointing, and can also receive it more than once (in fact, as many times as they like). Very often the Anointing of the Sick will be accompanied by a celebration of Eucharist. The Anointing of the Sick is not just for times of physical illness, but can also be entered into when the person has a mental illness.
The Anointing of the Sick can only be undertaken by a priest, and its goal is to bring God's grace or Spirit of courage and peace to the sick person. It involves praying with the person, laying of hands on them (to symbolise the coming of the Spirit), and anointing on the forehead with oil (oil is a symbol of the person's special relationship with God). The Sacrament also involves Reconciliation (the forgiveness of sins).
The Sacrament is based on the Gospel stories of Jesus' healing of people with a variety of illnesses. Throughout history, there have been many people healed by God's Spirit if they have received the Anointing of the Sick.
The Second Vatican Council has reminded us that the purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, and to give worship to God". The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick accomplishes this by helping us gain insight into the religious meaning of human suffering.
Suffering and illness have always been among the greatest problems that trouble the human spirit. Christians feel and experience pain as do all other people; yet their faith helps them to grasp more deeply the mystery of suffering and to bear their pain with greater courage. From Jesus' words they know that sickness has meaning and value. They also know that Jesus, who during his life often visited and healed the sick, loves them in their illness".
The celebration of the sacrament does not explain human suffering; sacraments are more than mere words of explanation. The sacraments celebrate faith. In the very celebrating Christians experience more and more who we are and what we believe. As the Catechism says, "Christ invites his disciples to follow him by taking up their cross in their turn. By following him they acquire a new outlook on illness and the sick" (#1506)
Here's short video to explain Anointing of the Sick:
ACTIVITY 8: In your own words, explain the Sacrament on the Anointing of the Sick and how it can provide comfort to those who are sick or dying.
DYING: Can we have a "Good Death"?
Topics: How Hospices, Palliative Care & Anointing of the Sick can help those who face death respond with dignity and courage.
This week we will be looking at the notion and experience of dying and the Sacrament of "Anointing the Sick". Our Learning Intention is to better understand death as something we all experience and have to learn to cope with. We will do this by examining how the media portrays death and how we can make the experience of death easier to bear for everyone concerned. We will be using multi-media to explore and record our learnings.
In this short talk, a doctor shares some of his observations about death in Australia.
ACTIVITY 6: "Death in the Media"
Firstly, check out this awesome article which shows the data about how death is recorded in Australia. It's an interactive display about the different diseases and causes of death in Australia, based on census data. Before you look at it, have a discussion about what you think are the leading causes of death in Australia. Now look and see if you are right!Now...locate 3 media articles on the topic of death (There are some useful links here and here). They might be articles on specific people who have died (or have been murdered), or on an article about an incident in which a large number of people have died.
Respond in your Blog to each of the articles using the following guideline questions – you may extend your own responses by including other questions that you consider to be relevant. Answering the questions for each article, should take you about 150 words each.
1. Write down the citation for the article using appropriate bibliographical sourcing techniques.
2. Write a brief explanation of what the article is about.
3. Indicate whether or not examples of the ‘Stages of Grief’ are evident in the text and give examples.
4. What vocabulary is used in the text and what response does it elicit from the reader? Is the article trying to make you feel a particular way (sad, angry, hopeless...)
5. How would you describe the media's attitude to presenting stories about death?
The Rubric to guide your work is here
ACTIVITY 7: What is a Hospice?
Palliative Care is the specialised medical care of those who are dying. It takes a special person to work in this area. Here's one person's story about being involved with a palliative care team.
Class Discussion: How would you define 'a good death'? What does that mean to you? This short talk describes some of the things we can do NOW to ensure that we have a good death. Do you agree or disagree that this is possible?
Read the article A Good Death from The Age Newspaper (online edition). As a class, discuss what you believe the benefits of planning for your death with medical authorities might be, and how this can lead to "a good death" rather than a "bad death" (it is worth thinking about what the article means by those two terms). This article on Palliative Care, provides a slightly different perspective.
Amazing Four Corners program...
Watch the Four Corners report "A Good Death" (aired on ABC on 8/2/10). Here is description about what the show covers. The DVD is in our College Library. Isn't it interesting that both The Age and the Four Corners used the same title for their stories? Why do you think this is?Using the knowledge you have gained from the Newspaper article and television show "A Good Death" in your blog, write a Newspaper report called "Why choose to use a Hospice when you're dying?" (it should be a very up-beat, positive report). You could include an explanation of:
The Report should be at least 400 words long.
ACTIVITY 8: ANOINTING OF THE SICK "Bringing Comfort to the Dying AND the Grieving".
When people are very ill and even dying, the Catholic Church offers a special Sacrament called the "Anointing of the Sick". This Sacrament can happen at Mass, or at the person's sickbed (at home or in hospital). Patients do not need to be dying to receive the Anointing, and can also receive it more than once (in fact, as many times as they like). Very often the Anointing of the Sick will be accompanied by a celebration of Eucharist. The Anointing of the Sick is not just for times of physical illness, but can also be entered into when the person has a mental illness.The Anointing of the Sick can only be undertaken by a priest, and its goal is to bring God's grace or Spirit of courage and peace to the sick person. It involves praying with the person, laying of hands on them (to symbolise the coming of the Spirit), and anointing on the forehead with oil (oil is a symbol of the person's special relationship with God). The Sacrament also involves Reconciliation (the forgiveness of sins).
The Sacrament is based on the Gospel stories of Jesus' healing of people with a variety of illnesses. Throughout history, there have been many people healed by God's Spirit if they have received the Anointing of the Sick.
The Second Vatican Council has reminded us that the purpose of the sacraments is to make people holy, and to give worship to God". The Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick accomplishes this by helping us gain insight into the religious meaning of human suffering.
Suffering and illness have always been among the greatest problems that trouble the human spirit. Christians feel and experience pain as do all other people; yet their faith helps them to grasp more deeply the mystery of suffering and to bear their pain with greater courage. From Jesus' words they know that sickness has meaning and value. They also know that Jesus, who during his life often visited and healed the sick, loves them in their illness".
The celebration of the sacrament does not explain human suffering; sacraments are more than mere words of explanation. The sacraments celebrate faith. In the very celebrating Christians experience more and more who we are and what we believe. As the Catechism says, "Christ invites his disciples to follow him by taking up their cross in their turn. By following him they acquire a new outlook on illness and the sick" (#1506)
Here's short video to explain Anointing of the Sick:
ACTIVITY 8: In your own words, explain the Sacrament on the Anointing of the Sick and how it can provide comfort to those who are sick or dying.