If students have read the Kubler-Ross or related material: Identify and discuss the possible stages of grieving that may occur for each of the three women. What emotions might the family members anticipate as they cycle through various stages?

Question

Alice Singletary, a novice social worker with Magnolia Hospice in Alexandria, Louisiana, met June Plunket, who had terminal cancer, and her daughter, Polly, for an admission interview. June was in quite a bit of pain and trying to cope with dying. Polly blamed Dr. Dubuis and herself for her mother’s approaching death, and was also angry with her brother, who had distanced himself from the family. June and Polly lived in a chaotic and overcrowded household with Polly’s daughter, Jenna, and Jenna’s two young children. While assessing June’s situation, Alice identified a multitude of family problems which had to be balanced with the mission of the hospice. In this situation, Alice was not sure where to begin.

Answer 1

This question may be discussed as a class or in small groups. Students may read the original Kubler-Ross material in the references section, or locate a summary of Kubler-Rossís materials found in many HBSE textbooks. Instructors may want to point to the cyclical and recurring nature of stages, posed by Kubler-Rossís critics and acknowledged by Kubler-Ross in her later writings. Students may produce a wide variety of answers for this question. They may speculate about manifestations of denial (e.g., June may make plans as if she will live for many years), anger (Polly may continue to displace anger toward medical staff), bargaining (Polly may try to bargain with hospice staff or, depending on her spiritual beliefs, with a transcendent being) depression (any of the three women may become depressed and students may identify symptoms), and acceptance (each of the women may or may not experience acceptance while that Alice is working with them).