We live in a changing world in many ways, and one of these evolving characteristics is that humans tend to live longer now. We in Ireland can expect to live into our mid-seventies on average. This can be attributed to scientific and technological developments and our own changing attitudes. Dunning (1993) describes this using Elias' civilising process theory when he explains that society has evened out somewhat with economic growth and the growing power of the lower social strata over the past century or so.

Dunning goes on to explain that as a result of the prevalence of democratic and stable governments and the growth in division of labour, it is the case that people in the more civilised societies of today are taught and expected to exercise more regular, even, stable and comprehensive control over their behaviour and feelings.

This trend is evident in many aspects of...