End-of-Life Decision Making: A Slippery Slope

Advances in medical technology have changed how we view and ultimately define death. What it means to be terminally ill, now more than ever, raises difficult moral/ethical questions for all concerned. These changes have created a new role and associated challenges for counselors as active participants in the end-of-life decision making process. This article explores ethical issues and trends in social policies that relate to challenges faced by counselors in negotiating the slippery slope that is end-of-life decision making.