• University of Glasgow

End of Life Care: Challenges and Innovation

Explore dying and palliative care practice around the world and evaluate new trends and ideas surrounding end of life care issues.

14,373 enrolled on this course

A dandelion seed head

End of Life Care: Challenges and Innovation

14,373 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 4 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Intermediate level

Find out more about how to join this course

Learn about new directions and the latest thinking on end of life care.

Death itself may be certain, but how we die involves many challenges. On this course, you’ll explore the care we receive when dying, cultural variations and beliefs around what makes a good death, and the planning and timing of death.

With increasingly ageing populations, we are living longer but dying more slowly. New ideas around end of life care are therefore emerging in different contexts. You will discover the patterns and global trends taking place in palliative care, and explore these new approaches from a social science and humanities perspective.

It is ideal for anybody considering taking The University of Glasgow’s MSc End of Life Studies

Photo of Class Central Logo. #1 in Health & Medicine and Nursing

You’ll also be learning from health and care experts at the University of Glasgow, recently ranked as offering the number one online healthcare course and number 14 online health and medicine course by Class Central, a search engine ranking the top online classes of all time.
Download video: standard or HD

Skip to 0 minutes and 8 seconds It is often said that the only certainties in life are death and taxes. Death itself may be certain, but how and where we die and the meanings we attach to dying have many dimensions. This course explores some of the challenges of contemporary end of life care. You’ll have a chance to study the different forms of care people receive before they die, how we plan and prepare for death, and how culture and values shape our experiences.

Skip to 0 minutes and 33 seconds MARIAN KRAWCZYK: We begin by defining key terms we use to talk about the end of life, and consider some of the ways that we collectively deal with the threat of death. We then examine if it’s possible to know when someone is sick enough to die, and consider different categories of death. Finally, we explore the characteristics of good and bad dying, and consider the special role of hospitals in end of life care.

Skip to 0 minutes and 59 seconds DAVID CLARK: We’ll study how communities around the world are creating new ways to think about death and dying and caring for people with terminal illnesses. In Kerala, in India to Clydebank in Scotland, we’ll study innovative approaches that generate compassion and care in the community. And we’ll be taking a look at the fast growing worldwide movement that’s known as death cafe.

Skip to 1 minute and 23 seconds NAOMI RICHARDS: Many people want to take direct control over how they die. In an ageing world, assisted dying and old age rational suicide are increasingly a subject of debate and discussion. We’re going to examine these debates, and look at the ethical implications. Finally, we’re going to look at how modern individuals seek to personalise their own funerals. So please join us for this free online course and investigate these challenging issues. You’ll have opportunities to share ideas and reflections and to learn from others. And you’ll discover some innovative approaches to important and complex problems. We look forward to meeting you and to working with you on this one subject that affects absolutely every one of us.

What topics will you cover?

  • Defining dying and end of life
  • ‘Good’ and ‘bad’ dying
  • Hospital care at the end of life
  • How communities around the world are creating new ways to deliver palliative care for people with chronic and terminal illnesses – the example of Kerala, in India
  • How ‘compassionate communities’ are forming to work alongside service providers to meet the challenges of loneliness, isolation and the experience of ‘social death’ – the example of Clydebank, in Scotland
  • Examining the fast growing world-wide interest in the movement known as ‘Death Café’
  • Many people want to take direct control over how they die. Where is assisted dying legal and what are its implications – for the meaning of death, the practice of palliative care and the ‘right to choose’?
  • Rational suicide – an emerging response to the desire for direct control over the manner of one’s death, especially among older people
  • How modern individuals seek to ‘curate’ their dying process and the rituals that follow it

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Remember key elements and discussions in the end of life care challenges that are being faced around the world, including important metrics
  • Understand the implications of these issues, debates and metrics for policy making, service organisation, clinical practice and public involvement
  • Apply these understandings to specific situations with which learners will be presented in the course materials – through specific micro-case studies – and sharing their own experiences and ideas in discussion with others
  • Analyse current debates on end of life care in ways which lead to comparisons between different settings
  • Evaluate and make critical judgements based on research evidence about existing and new approaches to end of life care and potential solutions to problems identified
  • Create new scenarios for future end of life care based on an analysis of needs, conflicting debates, best practice and the potential for innovation

Who is the course for?

This course is for people interested in or engaged in matters relating to death, dying, bereavement, palliative and end of life care.

This course will be of special interest to those working in healthcare, including physicians, nurses, social workers, and other health and social care professionals.

The course will also appeal to practitioners, students, researches, volunteers and policymakers in end of life care, as well as social activists and those working in artistic and cultural media who are working on end of life issues.

It is ideal for anybody considering the University of Glasgow’s MSc End of Life Studies

What do people say about this course?

Extremelyinteresting

"I have found this course extremely interesting and informative. I would like to thank the producers of this course and also fellow FL contributors who have shared thought-provoking ideas and comments"

Who will you learn with?

I am the Lead for the End of Life Studies MSc/PGDip/PGCert Program at the University of Glasgow. I am a medical anthropologist who is interested in interdisciplinary research on the end of life.

I am Senior Lecturer in Social Science and Director of the Glasgow End of Life Studies Group. I am a social and visual anthropologist and specialise in cultural aspects of ageing and dying.

I am a Professor of Medical Sociology working with the End of Life Studies Group at the University of Glasgow. My special interests are in the history and development of hospice and palliative care.

Who developed the course?

The University of Glasgow

Founded in 1451, the University of Glasgow is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world. It is a member of the prestigious Russell Group of leading UK research universities.

  • Established

    1451
  • Location

    Glasgow, Scotland, UK
  • World ranking

    Top 70Source: QS World University Rankings 2020

Ways to learn

Buy this course

Subscribe & save

Limited access

Choose the best way to learn for you!

$109/one-off payment

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Free

Fulfill your current learning needDevelop skills to further your careerSample the course materials
Access to this courseticktick

Access expires 18 Apr 2024

Access to 1,000+ coursescrosstickcross
Learn at your own paceticktickcross
Discuss your learning in commentstickticktick
Certificate when you're eligiblePrinted and digitalDigital onlycross
Continue & Upgrade

Cancel for free anytime

Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 18 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
  • Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

  • As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

Want to know more about learning on FutureLearn? Using FutureLearn

Learner reviews

Learner reviews cannot be loaded due to your cookie settings. Please and refresh the page to view this content.

Get a taste of this course

Find out what this course is like by previewing some of the course steps before you join:

Do you know someone who'd love this course? Tell them about it...

You can use the hashtag #EndofLifeStudies to talk about this course on social media.