Elisabeth Kűbler-Ross, On death and dying: a reappraisal

Abstract

Elisabeth Kűbler-Ross’s influential book, On death and dying, is a collection of very moving case studies of people approaching death, which, in 1969, helped to bring public attention to the topic and drew attention to the need for improving care. Sadly, her self-promotion, and her failure to acknowledge or to work with other pioneers in the developing field of Hospice and Palliative Care, left her isolated from the mainstream and vulnerable to exploitation by her devotees.

Keywords:

• death
• dying
• hospice
• palliative care
• palliative medicine