Imagine…you are 77 years old. You have lived a happy, fulfilling life, but have recently learned you have
terminal cancer and are reflecting on how you want to spend your last few months and what you would like for
your final wishes. In 1-2 pages, describe what you would like this last chapter of your life to look like. Consider:
What is your cultural heritage? What cultural traditions do you or your family hold that would impact your dying
process and last wishes? (i.e. I’m Irish and my family and cultural heritage view death as a time to celebrate
the life of a loved one with a long Irish wake, stories about our loved one, laughter, etc. We view funerals as a
time to be very emotionally expressive about our loss).
How does your family communicate about or view death? What impact does communication with loved ones
have on the death and dying process?