active coping: seeking information, working to solve problems; tends to produce more positive outcomes than passive coping

active euthanasia: a type of voluntary euthanasia that is active, such as administering a lethal dose of medication to someone who wishes to die

agonal breathing: gasping, labored breaths caused by an abnormal pattern of brainstem reflex

bereavement: the period of mourning following the death of someone

brain dead: when all brain function ceases to occur

clinical death: when the individual is brain dead

complicated grief: when feelings of grief are persistent and incapacitating

disenfranchised grief: grief that is not acknowledged by others

fading affect bias: idea that negative events, such as the death of a loved one, tend to lose their emotional intensity at a faster rate than pleasant events

functional death: when vital organs no longer function

euthanasia: helping a person fulfill their wish to die

grief: the psychological, physical, and emotional experience and reaction to loss

hospice: a type of care involving palliation without curative intent. Usually, it is used for people with no further options for curing their disease or people who have decided not to pursue further options that are arduous, likely to cause more symptoms, and not likely to succeed

palliative care: an interdisciplinary approach to specialized medical and nursing care for people with life-limiting illnesses. It focuses on providing relief from the symptoms, pain, physical stress, and mental stress at any stage of illness, with a goal of improving the quality of life for both the person and their family

passive coping: characterized by avoidance and distraction; outcomes tend to not be as positive as with active coping

passive euthanasia: a type of voluntary euthanasia that is passive, such as no longer feeding someone or giving them food

physician-assisted suicide: occurs when a physician prescribes the means by which a person can end his or her own life. This differs from euthanasia, in that it is mandated by a set of laws and is backed by legal authority. Physician-assisted suicide is legal in the District of Columbia and several states, including Oregon, Hawaii, Vermont, and Washington. It is also legal in the Netherlands, Switzerland, and Belgium

physiological death: when vital organs no longer function

psychological death: when a dying person begins to accept death and to withdraw from others and regress into the self

social death: when others begin to withdraw from someone who is terminally ill or has been diagnosed with a terminal illness

survivor guilt: mental condition that occurs when a person perceives themselves to have done wrong by surviving a traumatic event when others did not
vegetative state: the cerebral cortex no longer registers electrical activity but the brain stem continues to be active

voluntary euthanasia: helping someone fulfill their wish to die by acting in such a way to help that person’s life end