Course description

"The focus of this course is to provide the student with an in-depth understanding of the process of dying. By examining the process of dying, one's personal response to death as well as society's reaction and responsibilities toward dying, the student will gain new insights in caring for the dying person.." [Note: for more information see the GERO 406 course outline and page in Canvas. If there are discrepancies between information listed on this page and that in Canvas or instructor handouts, please refer to the latter.]

Term paper (finding articles and books)

Researching and writing an essay

Start your research here
Follow this SFU guide to researching and writing a term paper.

Do you already have a good article (HINT: as in a reading from a module in Canvas) and want more? Try citation pearl-growing, as shown on this Youtube tutorial either using an EBSCO database like Ageline right below or using Google Scholar

Finding journal articles

Ageline
the major social gerontology database.Guide: An Introduction to the Ageline database

CINAHL Complete
Nursing and allied health (sample subject term: Terminal Care)

Philosopher's Index
(sample subject term: Assisted Suicide; Palliative Care; End of Life)

Sociological Abstracts
major sociology database

You can also browse a major journal in the area such as Omega: journal of death and dying or Death studies

Finding books

Reference sources - handbooks and encyclopedias
for an overview of concepts and terms

Macmillan encyclopedia of death and dying [print or online]
for understanding concepts

Handbook of family resilience [online]
See part 4: Resilience, Loss and Grief

Handbook of thanatology: the essential body of knowledge for the study of death, dying, and bereavement [print or online]

Other titles

Dying and Death in Canada [print and online ]
What dying people want: practical wisdom for the end of life [print]
Canadian health law and policy [print] Chapter 9 "Death dying and decision-making about end of life care" includes relevant cases
Death: Current perspectives [print]
Death, dying and Canadian families [online]
Dying and death in Canada [print or online]
End of Life Care: a national dialogue [online]
End of Life Stories [print or online]
Older Adult’s Views on Death [print or online]
End-of-life decision-making report from Royal Society of Canada
World of Bereavement: Cultural Perspectives on Death in Families [online]

Presentation links

Giving Effective Presentations
SFU guide providing detailed instruction on how to succeed in university presentations

How to Give a Short Presentation Competently
describing "how to create an Awesome presentation"

Websites

Beware the 5 Stages of Grief - TLC Group
The Canadian Law Reform Commission’s definition of death (1979)
Compassion and Choices - "a nonprofit organization, improves care and expand choice at the end of life. We support, educate and advocate." (U.S.)
Dealing with Sudden Death - (Help Starts Here) BC Ministry of Justice
Death with Dignity Act - (Oregon)
The Definition of Death - Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy
Discussion paper on a provincial strategy for end-of-life care in British Columbia British Columbia - BC Ministry of Health Services
Dying with Dignity - "improve quality of dying and to expand end of life choices in Canada"
Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide overview from the Library of Parliament, Canada
Meaning of Life and Meaning of Death in Successful Aging - Paul Wong, International Network on Personal Meaning
Of Life and Death - Final Report - the Special Senate Committee on Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide
Provincial Framework for End-of-Life Care - BC Ministry of Health Services
Quality of Death: Ranking end-of-life care across the world - Economist Intelligence Unit
Quality End-of-Life Care: The Right of Every Canadian Senate of Canada

Palliative Care and Hospice Associations

Canada

BC Centre for Palliative Care - "advance care planning and serious illness conversations, integration of a palliative approach to care, and building Compassionate Communities"
BC Hospice Palliative Care Association - "to ensure quality of care for British Columbians faced with a life-threatening illness, death and bereavement"
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) - "That all Canadians have access to quality end-of-life care"
Canadian Virtual Hospice information and support on hospice and end-of-life care, loss and grief
Delta Hospice Society pamphlets

United States

American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (AAHPM) - The professional organization for physicians taking care of people at the end of life
Caring Community resources, publications, and advocacy
Center to Advance Palliative Care "provides clear, comprehensive palliative care information for people coping with serious illness"
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization