Journal of Palliative Care & Medicine
Open Access

Abstract

This presentation explores the dying process and the reasons include conversations about human sexuality as part of the dying process when providing psycho-educational support to patients, caregivers and families. The presentation utilizes a study, conducted by Michael Ian Rothenberg and discusses the results published with co-author Andres Dupras, in an article titled Sexuality at the End of Life Stage that examines Elisabeth Kubler Ross' five stages of death theory to explore these stages from a sexological perspective. In order to gain a better understanding of the unique difficulties experienced by terminally ill people and their caregivers when dealing with their sexuality during the various end-of-life stages, a qualitative methodological approach was utilized and resultant data were presented as case histories gathered in the context of clinical sexology consultations. Clinical interviews contributed to the resolution of varied sexual challenges faced by terminally ill people and their family caregivers. This presentation hopes to raise important questions about the palliative care professional's responsibility regarding the understanding of sexuality for individuals in the end-of-life stage as well as illustrated how to begin to engage in needed discussions on sex and sexuality.

Biography

Michael Ian Rothenberg is a Board Certified Clinical Sexologist, Certified Sex Therapist and the Founder and Clinical Director of the Center for Counseling and Sexual Health of Winter Park, Florida. As a sexuality educator, Rothenberg has held a long term faculty position in Orlando, Florida, at the University of Central Florida (UCF), School of Social Work, where he developed the curriculum in Human Sexuality and taught courses on human sexuality and sexual behavior. Rothenberg, a former Hospice Social Worker, credited with creating the Sexological sub-field of Thanatological Clinical Sexology, has published numerous articles relating to human sexuality and lectures, both nationally and internationally at universities, hospitals and hospices on topics related to human sexuality, sexual behavior and sexual health.

Email: DrMichaelIanRothenberg@gmail.com