Elizabeth Kubler-Ross: On Death and Dying 1969
Elizabeth Kubler-Ross was a Swiss-born psychiatrist who was appalled at the treatment of dying patients. She was an early pioneer in communicating with the dying and in understanding what they are going through. At the University of Chicago, she conducted weekly seminars consisting of interviews with terminally ill patients. This brought opposition from other medical staff. Many thought that patients were not aware that they were dying as they had not been officially told, but she discovered that most had guessed this, perhaps from changes in the way others related to them. She became a central figure in the hospice movement, arguing for “death with dignity.” While doctors tended to avoid discussions of death, Kubler-Ross advocated being quite open about it. Her book is based on interviews with the dying and is famous for the model she propounded. The dying follow a multi-stage process. First they are in denial about the diagnosis, then they become angry; “Why did this happen to me?” Then they engage in bargaining, fall into depression and finally find acceptance of their fate. Others regard this model as helpful but deny that everyone follows the same path.