Finishing Our Story: Preparing for the End of Life

Revolutionary improvements in sanitation, hygiene, and the treatment of infectious diseases dramatically increased lifespans in prosperous societies during the 20th century. The medical profession's success in treating chronic conditions such as cancer, while less dramatic, have contributed to the marginal extension of life near its end. But such successes have come with an unintended downside: life has been made longer and more pleasant, but the process of dying is often longer and less pleasant as a result.