Understanding, Dying, Death and Bereavement - Book Report/Review Example

Understanding, Dying, Death and Bereavement Summary Understanding Dying, Death and Bereavement (2011) represents the continued efforts of authors to create a notably readable text in which address the key concerns related to the psychology of individual in coping with death and dying. The book in its conceptualization has four key significant objectives, which are the basis of the entire cases presented in the text. The first key objective of this text is to create and sensitize the student fraternity undertaking this reading on the topic of death, dying and bereavement (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). The second objective in the course of this text is to aid the students in growing their intellectual capacity of examining their individual feelings and reactions towards the matter of death and grieving. Further, a third objective entails aiding the students procedurally to adjust to death of another significant person. The last of these objectives is to the readers, as the text aims to make the reader aware of the cultural diversity in relation to their customs on death and bereavement. As sociologists, the perspective presented may in some aspects differ from those of psychologists. However, it is evident that this text focuses on the breadth of many issues and is thus an appealing reading to the practical stance on the relative subject of death and dying. This text from previous publication, the edition released in 2002, presents four levels of analysis of the context of the subject in contention. The four boxes of evidence entailed include practical matters, which gives the reader practical advice that they can relate and engage with accordingly (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). The second box is listening to voices, which is an illustration of actual accounts of persons that provide real-time evidence of beliefs from the ground. The third box entails words of wisdom, which give literature on the subject and poems as well as other words that contain advisory matters of wisdom. The fourth and last box in the text covers the factor of death across cultures, which is a retrospective presentation of cross-cultural examples of the beliefs and customs of people from diverse cultures on the subject matter of death and bereavement. Such include evidence from the tsunamis disaster of 2004 and the 9-11 attack victims, differentiating this edition from other literary texts on the subject matter (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). All these are incorporations in the text to provoke the student accordingly to engage in thinking towards issues with a reflective and clear mind. The supplementary of added used for pictorials and drawings is an addition to the success of the presentation of the material in the text. The text is a comprehensive coverage of the key issues related to the subject matter of dying death and bereavement. It entails a composition of 14 chapters that facilitate the classification of the various subject matters into groups of different issues for better discussion. The text incorporates a strategic overview of the entire topic of death dying and bereavement, which covers all the historical context discussions that have relation to the death issues. The overall presentation also covers in intrinsic discussion on the evolution of the death matter and understanding of the subject across the diverse cultures. Further, the context of this text also covers the American experience of death, as well as, the developmental aspects entailed in the issue of death, from childhood to adulthood across cultures (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). The text also has a key section, which has emphasis accordingly, as it entails the spiritual and religious perspectives on near-death experiences, as well as the dying process and the procedures of living with a terminal illness. Further, such discussions into the hospital care and impact of given issues such as biomedical practices and incorporation of euthanasia are core observations in this text that are worth noting for the reader (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). The text also covers the incorporation of the given legal platforms incorporated in addressing the concepts of dying and grief and bereavement. Thus, from this perspective, it is notable that this text is a concrete and in-depth analysis of the issue of death, dying and bereavement, a text worth engaging as a student, as well as, a person interested in gaining insight on the subject matter. In this edition of understanding dying, death and bereavement, the text covers the entire elemental issues hat facilitating the confronting of the issues of life and death. For instance, an interesting component is that of euthanasia, the attitudes presented towards death, the process of dying, and the grieving effect entailed (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). Further, the course of recognizing the notable impact of culture and aspects of the role of the healthcare system in influencing the various developments regarding death and dying is key to the flow of this text. Moreover, the use of the pedagogical contexts is an effective model of communication, which in reflection helps the reader to engage with the text from a rather active participation approach. Thus, this text is indeed engaging accordingly to the reader and gives the captivating capture of the various elements entailed an educative text. Another significant aspect of this text is the discussion of varied groups including grief support groups, which gives the text a contextual touch and relational aspect towards understanding the various topics covered. Thus, in approaching this reading, this in-depth and incisive summary of the entire text is elemental guidance to the various topics of the subject matter that will interest the reader accordingly. Concrete responses The text on Understanding Dying, Death and Bereavement (2011) is among the best books on the subject of death that I have ever come across. It is so from the conceptual approach entailed in the generation of the book, which is entirely different from the context of other books on the topic of death. The book takes an interdisciplinary approach to the topic of death from all aspects of skillful writing with research and evidence (Burns, 2013). It is notable that in recent developments, death is a topic of revered heights, as many people and societies avoid the topic remarkably. However, from the perspectives of many writers, the topic of death is an interesting subject to engage in discussing yet many fail to get to the core of the most valuable and educative contexts of the topic. However, with respect to the works by Leming and Dickson, these writers draw from their vast experience and technical know-how in engaging the contemporary world on the scary social aspects entailed in the topic. Leming and Dickson, in the procedural undertaking to the book content, they gather a vast and interdisciplinary approach towards explaining the factors of consideration in the practical continuum. The book successfully engages the causative aspects of the death incidence, which are relatively difficult in dealing with as the person directly impacted from such death scenario (Hayslip, 2008). For instance, the writers engage accordingly to define that indeed death can occur from vast impacts including heat on the position of HIV and in the complimentary encounter with a victim of the scary diseases on the enhancing the rate at which the subject of death continues to impact the society. The sociological approaches as applied in many other versions of the text tend to cover the face value significance of the topic as well known (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). This edition of the book is a solid and technical approach to writing. Leming and Dickson have the theory and research that would allow them have the entire course in the night. Consequently, the book provides remarkably useful information on the idea entailed in fixing the feelings about the subject of death and bereavement. The creative entity in this text is the research extent undertaken to keep the procedural factors to smart. The text is a creation of a procedural and well-executed plan for developing concepts of action. The research entailed n the text is good for the establishment of personal concepts of application in the text accordingly (Hayslip, 2008). The development of the topic on development of death as a subject matter then awakened more in-depth analysis of the single sectors and shell of the society in which we undertake part two illustrations giving a cross-cultural procedure entailed in the attack approach to addressing scenarios of counseling. For instance, such illustrative perspectives on the matter of death and dying create the empirical condition and evidence that indeed Leming and Dickson employ their expertise accordingly in writing and researching to develop a text that emancipates on vast aspects of the issue (Burns, 2013). Thus, observing from such foregoing factors, the development of this text on understanding death, dying, death and bereavement remains the most controversial of all its concepts yet the authors address it accordingly. Nonetheless, the presence of such evidence on key issues gives the readers a sigh of relief considering the procedural undertaking entailed in the making of such evidence-based learning and reading as this text illustrates. Thus, such understanding of the text is notable and evident in this concept of the text and gives me the practical basis for developing professionally with respect to psychology and counseling practice. Reflection In the context of the course undertaken in developing the text on understanding death, dying and bereavement, the authors establish the varied goals entailed in the topic matter. The writers’ core purpose is evident in that they want to facilitate assistance to the mainstream public towards the procedures for addressing the concern of a departed loved person. The public is notably a vast composition of attitudes and behaviors and as such, the undertaking of a given consideration in the development of the book is an essential course for reaching got the needs of those entailed. Raising awareness on the issue of death is another element entailed in the writing procedures that Leming and Dickson evaluate accordingly in this text. Consequently, the reputation entailed in the course of an institution is key n developing the personal profile of unused level. Owing to the established experience of the writers in publishing in varied fields of social sciences and research, the book covers the core aspects including the defining chapter where it discusses dying from the perspective of biological, social and psychological factors that impair performance in the development process (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). The understanding of death through varied age brackets is another aspect of this text, which gives it an advantage over the predecessors on the subject of death. Thus, the authors engage accordingly the Piaget childhood development stages in addition to the Erikson stages of growth to define the entity of death and dying from a developmental perspective, a factor that in my perspective is simply commendable for Leming and Dickson. This makes the text remarkably relatable; hence, it is a worth reading book. Additionally, the text is notable in its approach to the considerable element entailed in education the reader accordingly on the relations entailed in religion and reactions towards death from religious beliefs. These aspects cover the beliefs about near death experiences and practices as well as palliative care and other models entailed in the medical practices to develop core understanding of the subject of death and dying. Notably, a controversial subject in the discussion of death and dying is recent social developments such as the practice of euthanasia, which in varied aspects is notably a contentious issue. Another commentary is on the development of the issue covering the aspects of biomedical issues and ethics, which later facilitate the procedures of death rituals and the funeral industry, which all also encompass the bereavement stage. This sensitive treatment of each of the contextual subjects in each given section of the text makes it among the most educative books published on the subject of death, dying and bereavement. In developing the entire text, Leming and Dickson factored accordingly the meaning and implication of the title of the text, hence, the reason they called it “understanding death, dying and bereavement." This reflects the notable perceptions and educative approaches undertaken in creating awareness on the subject of death, a practical exemplification that they successfully engage accordingly to facilitate the reader with a full and complete source of educative information in dealing with the weighty matter of loss of a loved person in their lives (Burns, 2013). This text from the readers’ perspective is remarkably provocative in its address of the subject of death and consequently, most imperative to read for a given range of education levels, which makes it a notable establishment and success in its category, despite the many publications existent on the topic. The text further, creates a mind of sobriety in the approach to the very significant subject of death, giving the readers a calm approach to addressing the very concern on the issue of death, as many struggle o accept the reality of death and the procedural stages of bereavement and later, continuing with the practical life of the living people. Thus, from these aspects of this text, I believe it is a core text in its category of books and deserves the recognition it ought to receive worldwide on the significance of its lessons and procedural approach to the subject matter of understanding death, dying and bereavement. Thus, from all this forgoing, this text is ultimately the most informative approach I have engaged with respect to the subject of understanding death, dying and bereavement. I enjoyed reading the text as t challenged me from an intellectual perspective, and in the light of giving new information and findings towards the subject matter. Further, I simply could find no comparison for the text as it is compassionate, sensitive and yet informative on presentation of varied difficult issues such as suicidal practices and cultural diversity in understanding and addressing the issue. Hence, in my perspective, it is the best book in its category, and I did not realize any weaknesses therein the text. Application In the reflection level, it is notable the significance of this text is undeniable. Thus, a person cannot simply read this text and fail to ponder their own life in relation to the subject matter of death and dying, as well as, the procedural application in relation to the society and its procedures for addressing the occurrences of death and dying. It is a profound book in which the application of its teachings is so practical that indeed, as a reader, relating to the text and engaging the lessons learned is simple and clear, yet informative and personally building to the self-perceptions and beliefs with regard to the subject matter of understanding death, dying and bereavement. The practicality of this text is evident from the various exercises that the text gives to the readers. For instance, in the application of the gain from the text, the authors, Leming, and Dickson, give an exercise regarding the understanding of the text. In illustration of the exercise, they suggest to the reader to engage in writing his or her own obituary (Leming, & Dickinson, 2011). Notably, the very purpose of this exercise to a person who has no clue of the context of the book will seem rather daunting and scary to a living person. However, for a person having read this text, this is a remarkably practical approach to assist the person in applying the text lessons gained in developing a clear understanding of death and life (Hayslip, 2008). This exercise helps the participant notably to engage in developing a more focused life, which focuses on life more than death. This exercise in effect helps the reader to engage accordingly in developing a positive approach towards life rather than living in constant fear of death as many people in the society today do. Applying the context of this reading gives the person the standing to engage in life from a provoked perspective that allows him to live a better life particularly after considering the aspects of his or her own death. Thus, from the counseling perspective, this text is indeed a remarkably practical and applicable text in the professional platform as it facilitates the professional the growth required in engaging such cases including addressing issues related to suicidal attempts. From the professional stance, again this text is essential to the development of the psychological counseling as well as religious approaches as it is remarkably practical and yet revealing to the reader. Reading this text from personal experience makes me more aware and in better relation to the aspects of my own mortality, a component that is significant to the living. Further, the text gives a better standing in reflecting on the experience and beliefs of the society regarding death, dying and bereavement. It is a recommendable text to any person that wishes to develop better awareness on the subject of interest in death as well as the introspective view of a personal life. The provocative entity in the text makes it more applicable and recommendable to a vast composition of educational levels, as it gives the reader the grounding expected in addressing issues of weighty matter as death, dying and bereavement as vast of the societal beliefs depict the subject matter. Ultimately, the context of this book is appealing to many, and its breadth and depth of coverage of the subject matter makes it worth reading. References Burns, A. M. (2013). Book Review. Educational Gerontology, 39(1), 69-70. doi:10.1080/03601277.2012.661346 Hayslip, J. B. (2008). Book Review: The Leming & Dickinson Text. Death Studies, 32(3), 291-297. doi:10.1080/07481180701881305 Leming, M. R., & Dickinson, G. E. (2011). Understanding dying, death, and bereavement. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning. Read More