Thank you to Rekha Vijayshankar for highlighting this compelling article by Mark Mardell on how different cultures shape our understanding of what it means to have a ‘good death’.
https://www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/a-good-death/70130/race-and-assisted-dying-how-to-rebuild-trust
I’ve been particularly moved by Rekha’s observations—both in this article and throughout her Churchill Fellowship work—on the idea of ‘collective decision-making’.
She notes in the article:
“Our perspective on death and dying—and on what a good death involves—is often rooted in an Anglophone framework. It tends to prioritise individual autonomy: personal preferences, independent choices, and control. But for many communities across the global majority, where collectivist values are more central, decisions are made quite differently. The individual often defers to the family or community when important choices are involved.”
As I continue my own Churchill Fellowship exploring #mediation, culturally-responsive communication, and end-of-life care, a key learning continues to emerge:
➡️ Effective decisions in end-of-life care often depend on bringing the right people into the conversation from the start.
In UK settings, we often look to one or two family members to speak on behalf of a dying loved one. But when those individuals can’t agree with clinicians, tensions can arise – and sometimes these are labelled as ‘conflict’, or go unnamed entirely.
Might culturally competent end-of-life communication – and more effective approaches to preventing or resolving #medicaldisputes – require us to recognise and support the role of a wider circle around the patient in making decisions?
And if that’s the case, what are the best ways to enable that broader participation in collective decision-making, in practice?
agooddeath hashtagmedicalmediation hashtaghealthcare hashtagcommunication hashtagPEOLC hashtagACP hashtagpalliativecare hashtagcrossculturalcommunication
If you are interested in talking further about collective decision-making in end of life care, get in touch with me here.
