Marilyn Gugliucci interviewed for Press Herald story on end-of-life choices

Marilyn Gugliucci, Ph.D., director of geriatric research for the College of Osteopathic Medicine, was interviewed by the Portland Press Herald for a July 10, 2011 story on 91-year-old Norman Morse, a Falmouth man who is an advocate of end-of-life choices for elderly people whose quality of life has declined.

Gugliucci told the reporter that the clarity, practicality and boldness of Morse's actions are signs of "gerotranscendence," a relatively new sociological term that describes a later stage in life when people unleash themselves from social conventions, realize exactly what they want to do and are determined to accomplish it.

People in this stage often resolve any regrets they may have and lose any fear of death. It can be a challenge for family members and others who view death as a forbidden step rather than a natural part of life.

"It's something that our health care system isn't really prepared to deal with," Gugliucci said. "We're trying to move to the 'good death' stage. I'm not saying we should hasten death, but we really need to listen to our elders. We need to have more conversations about what they're going through and be more supportive as a society."

The story was also published in the Morning Sentinel (Waterville) and Kennebec Journal (Augusta).