Religion & Law

Recommended reading:  Jane Gross, "Facing Death with Dignity," NYT, 7/9/09.  The byline:  "A congregation of sisters outside of Rochester offers a model for successful aging and a gentle death." An excerpt: "A convent is a world apart, unduplicable. But the Sisters of St. Joseph, a congregation in this Rochester suburb, animate many factors that studies say contribute to successful aging and a gentle death ? none of which require this special setting. These include a large social network, intellectual stimulation, continued engagement in life and spiritual beliefs, as well as health care guided by the less-is-more principles of palliative and hospice care ? trends that are moving from the fringes to the mainstream."  Read the rest, here.

UPDATE:  A reader responds:

"I saw your post on 'Facing Death with Dignity.' I thought I would add a personal note that as a part-time practitioner in estate planning, I am starting to see requests for palliative care and related provisions in the health care aspects. And, even in cases where I mention the availability of such care, many are motivated to investigate the meaning of it further, and then to request it."