Death And The Family: Ethics at the End of Life

June 21, 2024 | 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
In-Person in Arlington, VA or Online via Zoom

Conference Description

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When there are medical, financial, and relationship decisions to be made at the end of life, what principles are important to consider? In recent decades, great effort has been put into articulating and implementing “patient-centered” ethics (an individual model). In his book, Is There a Duty to Die, John Hardwig, PhD, medical ethicist—and 2024 Ethics Conference Guest Lecturer—proposes a “family-centered” ethics model for end-of-life decision-making. Dr. Hardwig’s book engages this topic from various perspectives. He is a Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville and has focused on medical ethics throughout his career. with a signature contribution through his family-centered ethics proposal. The Bowen Center invites attendees to hear Dr. Hardwig and other presenters and consider, through presentations and discussion, how differentiation of self plays an important role when an individual family-member nears the end of life.

The conference, which satisfies requirements of practitioners seeking ethics CEs, will be valuable to general students of Bowen theory and all professionals in the mental health field, especially those involved with facing end-of-life deliberations.

Schedule and Presentation Descriptions | Register | Guest Lecturer | Conference Location | Continuing Education Credits

Schedule

Time

Title

Presenter(s)
8:30 Welcome and Introduction Randall T. Frost, MDiv, Director, Bowen Center for the Study of the Family
Guest Lecturer Introduction Jake Morrill, MDiv
8:35 Going to Meet Death: The Search for a Good Ending John Hardwig, PhD
9:20 Death and Bowen Family Systems Theory
This presentation will describe Bowen theory as a framework to look at the end-of-life process in a family. Bowen theory challenges each member in the family to consider their responsibility within the family at the end of life.		 Priscilla J. Friesen, LICSW
10:00 Panel Discussion
Morning Moderator: Jennifer Long, MDiv		 Dr. Hardwig and Ms. Friesen.
10:20 Break
10:30 Opportunities for Differentiation of Self Around Dying and Death
This presentation will describe principles based in Bowen theory and provide examples of working on differentiation of self that have been employed in my own family when facing the death of a family member, including maintaining personal contact, speaking openly about dying, the experiences and responsibilities after the death, and taking responsibility for one’s part in being present.		 Victoria Harrison, MA
11:00 Death and Differentiation of Self
This presentation will specify some of the key variables around which families differ in functioning during the period prior to and following the death of an important member of the family. These differences in functioning will be provisionally linked to ten-point intervals on Bowen’s scale of differentiation.		 Randall T. Frost, MDiv
11:30 Accompanying Dying Persons and their Families
What difference can it make when someone accompanying a dying person and their families is working on differentiation of self? This presentation will survey challenges to that work on self and the difference such an effort can make for the dying person for the family, and for the one who accompanies. It will also consider how working more objectively/less anxiously in triangles can help create a more open emotional system. This presentation is by a pastor who has accompanied many dying persons and their families in inpatient and outpatient settings and in congregations.		 Katie Long, DMin
12:00 Panel Discussion Mr. Frost, Ms. Harrison, Ms. Long, and Dr. Hardwig
12:30 Lunch (provided at conference)
1:00 Jennifer Long interviews Corrie Howard
Ms. Howard is a nurse who works with hospice/end-of-life decisions that intersect with Bowen theory. The interview will be recorded in advance.
1:30 Discussion about Corrie Howard Interview with Dr. Hardwig
Afternoon Moderator: Jake Morrill, MDiv
1:50 What Difference Might Bowen Theory Have Made? A Retrospective on a Family Death
In light of the intense challenges presented at the end of life, consideration of ethical decisions through the lens of Bowen theory offers a different perspective. This presentation has three sections which 1) draw on the presenter’s family diagram, 2) describe the response to death in her family and the ethical decisions made at that time, and 3) reviews those decisions and their impact through the lens of Bowen theory.		 The Rev. Carol P. Jeunnette, PhD
2:20 Differentiation and the Family Emotional Process at the End of Life
Many countries now allow for assisted suicide. This decision can be viewed as a strong and final act of defining one’s self. From a Bowen theory perspective, emotional fusion, lack of differentiation, multigenerational emotional process as it relates to death and dying, and anxiety, often impact end-of-life decisions for the individual and family. As does the technology now available to delay death, even when it extends suffering. This presentation asks, just because we can do everything, should we do everything? When not driven by emotions, the answer more often than not, is no.		 Denise Kwan
2:50 Break
3:00 Panel Discussion with Dr. Jeunnette, Ms. Kwan, and Dr. Hardwig
3:30 Breakout Groups
4:00 Whole-Group Discussion
4:30 Conference Ends

Register

Date of Conference: Friday, June 21st, 2024 | Time: 8:30AM EST - 4:30PM EST *Timezones for all schedules are reflected in Eastern Standard Time.

Conference Fees:

  • In-person (includes a boxed lunch): $95. | Online (via Zoom): $95.

  • Full-time student: $70. Online or In-person. *Please contact Emma Voorhes with full-time student verification (a copy of your student schedule or other proof) to gain access to these tickets. For students facing hardships, please reach out to Emma Voorhes and she will assist with a fee modification.

  • Continuing Education Credits are available for an additional charge of $15. Please add them when registering. *Questions: ContinuingEducation@thebowencenter.org

Register on Eventbrite. Please select In-person OR online attendance and add CEsif needed. Attendance details will be emailed upon registration.
Conference and CE registration both close June 20, 2024.

Guest Lecturer

John Hardwig, PhD, is Professor Emeritus in Philosophy at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Dr. Hardwig has published widely on bioethics, end-of-life issues, the role of trust in knowledge, and the role of experts. He is best-known for challenging the conventional wisdom of “patient-centered ethics,” in favor of his proposed “family-centered ethics.” Dr. Hardwig’s 1997 article on this topic was followed by his book Is There a Duty to Die and Other Essays in Medical Ethics (Routledge, 2000). His arguments have been influential among bioethicists and healthcare clinicians.

Location

The conference will be held at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington, Virginia.
The church is located at 4444 Arlington Blvd, Arlington, VA 22204
Parking is available and the church is accessible by public transportation.

Accommodation Suggestions
For those seeking an overnight stay, the following nearby hotels are suggested:
Holiday Inn Arlington at Ballston | Comfort Inn Ballston | Hilton Arlington | Sheraton Pentagon City | Residence Inn by Marriott Arlington Ballston | Hyatt Place Arlington Courthouse Plaza | Clarion Collection Hotel Arlington Court Suites | Hilton Garden Inn Arlington Courthouse Plaza 

Continuing Education Credits

This conference day will provide 7.25 Continuing Education Credits which satisfy ethics CE requirements.

REQUIREMENTS FOR CE ELIGIBILITY: 

  • Pay the CE fee of $15 at time of registration. Be sure to choose “Add On” when purchasing your ticket on Eventbrite. CEs are not sold the day of the conference.

  • Attend each live streamed or in-person class in its entirety. The CE coordinator will note your attendance. We do not offer partial credits for partial attendance.

  • If livestreamed, enable video and show your name on screen so that you are visible throughout the entirety of the conference, except during designated breaks or lunch.  

  • Submit a completed evaluation no more than 60 days after the event. Shortly after the submission of your completed evaluation, you will be emailed a certificate.  

POLICIES:

  • The Bowen Center does not offer refunds for CEs.

  • We are unable to offer CE credit for viewing any recordings.

  • We do not offer partial CE credit for partial event attendance.

  • It is the sole responsibility of the participant to verify their state’s professional licensure criteria for CE qualifications.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:

1. Attendees will be able to identify key ethical considerations for families in end-of-life scenarios 

2. Attendees will be able to articulate the relationship between differentiation of self and family functioning, in an end-of-life scenario. 

3. Attendees will be able to identify potential benefits and risks of “family-centered ethics.” 

The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center is authorized by the Maryland Board of Social Work Examiners to provide continuing education credit. This program is a Category I offering.

The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 6225. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. The Bowen Center for the Study of the Family/Georgetown Family Center is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

If you have any questions about Continuing Education, please email ContinuingEducation@thebowencenter.org