BEHS 380: End of Life: Issues and Perspectives

BEHS 380 at the University of Maryland Global Campus is an exploration of death, dying and bereavement from social, cultural, psychological, biomedical, economic and historical perspectives.

UMGC states that the aim is to develop an informed personal perspective on end-of-life matters through study of planning issues, the stages of the dying process and models of care for the terminally ill. Formerly GERO 380, the course allows credit for only one of BEHS 380 or GERO 380.

Topics include definitions of death, the needs of dying people and those close to them, pain management, palliative and hospice care, end-of-life decision-making, cultural meanings and rituals, suicide, euthanasia, homicide, natural disaster, the economics of death and life-sustaining care, family conflict and coping, bereavement and grieving.

The subject is emotionally demanding, and students often bring personal experience to it. The course asks you to combine that experience with evidence from several perspectives, not to rely on a personal or medical lens alone.

What BEHS 380 Covers

Key Concepts Explained

Palliative Care and Hospice

Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and improving quality of life for people with serious illness and can be provided alongside curative treatment. Hospice care is palliative care for people near the end of life who are no longer pursuing cure; in the US it is commonly associated with a prognosis of six months or less.

Advance Care Planning

Advance directives, such as a living will and a healthcare power of attorney, let people state their wishes and name a decision-maker in case they cannot speak for themselves. Planning reduces the burden on families facing difficult choices.

Grief and Bereavement

Stage models of grief, such as the one popularized by Elisabeth Kübler-Ross (originally describing dying patients), are widely known but criticized for implying a fixed sequence.

Many scholars now describe grief as varied and non-linear, and theories such as continuing bonds suggest relationships with the deceased often continue in changed form. Evaluating models like this demonstrates critical thinking.

Cultural Perspectives on Death

Cultures differ widely in how they understand death, care for the dying and mourn. Some emphasize dying at home surrounded by family; others accept hospital death.

Rituals range from quick burial within a day to extended mourning periods, cremation or ancestor veneration. Beliefs about disclosure differ too: in some families, relatives prefer that a patient not be told a terminal diagnosis directly.

When writing about cultural practices, describe them accurately, avoid treating any group as uniform, and connect the practice to its meaning for the people involved. This links directly to the course's goal of developing an informed perspective.

Typical Assignments and How to Approach Them

Where Students Get Stuck

• One lens only. Combine personal, medical, cultural and economic perspectives.
• Taking a side without evidence. On issues such as euthanasia, present arguments fairly before giving a reasoned view.
• Stage models as fact. Discuss critiques of grief stage models.
• Emotional strain. Pace yourself and use support services if the material is difficult.

Study Tips for BEHS 380

• Keep a perspectives table for each topic: social, cultural, psychological, biomedical, economic, historical.
• Use UMGC Library databases for research in thanatology, gerontology and palliative care.
• Read about end-of-life practices in at least one culture different from your own.
• Note state-level differences in US law on end-of-life decisions when relevant.

How We Help with BEHS 380

Send the prompt, rubric, readings and any feedback. A writer with a health or social science background can prepare a custom paper or case analysis, explain concepts, or edit your draft for balance and evidence. Personal reflections should come from your own experience; we help with structure and connecting it to theory. Our reflective essay guide may help.

GradeEssays is independent of the University of Maryland Global Campus. Our work is a study aid to use under UMGC's academic integrity policy. Every order is written from scratch, includes free revisions within the scope of your original request, and is refunded in full if it is late.