Life Experience of Personal Care Assistants in Anchorage: Cross-Cultural Caring of Older Adults: A Qualitative Phenomenological Study The increase in racial and ethnic diversity in the United States and specifically in Anchorage Alaska and the compelling evidence of ethnic health disparities (Smedley, Stith and Nelson, 2002) makes the incorporation of ethnogeriatric perspective into the practice of geriatric health care of critical importance. Reported are the "federally designated racial and ethnic groups…[of]…"American

Gerontology The interview subject is from Germantown, Pennsylvania, the third of seven children. For the purposes of this report and to preserve her anonymity, we will call her Ms. S. Ms. S's mother did everything she could to keep her family together through difficult financial times. They had to squeeze the entire household into their grandmother's house, and even had to go "junking," sifting through trash to find valuable things people

Ethical Issues of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia The ethical issues relating to assisted suicide and euthanasia have captured the attention of the public. The topic of Euthanasia is a contentious one and it inescapably incites strong emotional argument and gives rise to tough beliefs that do not straight away lend themselves to consensual harmony. It is improbable that a decision can be reached which will meet with universal support whenever such

emotional issues in the field of biomedical ethics is the issue of patient assisted suicide. Proponents on both sides of the issue believe strongly in their arguments and the discussions surrounding the issue often become quite acrimonious. Yet, it is an issue that demands some measure of agreement but remains unresolved and caught in the middle are the patients who are actually suffering from conditions that initiate the discussions

Perhaps the most reasonable objection to physician-assisted suicide relates to the subjective element of quality of life and the degree to which that perception (on the part of the patient) is susceptible to temporary influence, such as from clinical depression or temporary physical pain or disability. To overcome that objection, it would be necessary to outline objective principles and guidelines capable of allowing physician-assisted suicide in justifiable situations while

The quality of life was another issue addressed in research of the use of feeding tubes with patients who have dementia (Finucane, 2001). Robert MCCann, MD reports that the everyday imagery of food and its pleasant addition to life cannot be ignored in the discussion of removing natural nutrition and using a feeding tube. McCann reminds the medical community that the image of a family gathered around the Thanksgiving table, interacting and