Death can be a depressing topic, but it's part of life. This is an important topic related to aging that too few people are willing to discuss. To speak of death and dying is often taboo in our culture. It is something that we don't want to talk about and a subject we usually avoid at all costs. It makes us uncomfortable and uneasy, but why? Death is a natural part of life. We try to avoid it, delay it, deny it, but one thing is certain-we will all die some day. Respond to the following questions:

1) How do you personally view death and dying-do you fear it, accept that it will happen, or are you going to fight it tooth and nail? How has your view of death been affected by your religion, culture, and even personal experience of the loss of a loved one? Also, when you think about your own death, how are your thoughts different from when you think about the death of a family member? Why is this?

2) What can we do a society to make death more dignified, or is it dignified already? Explain.