You Make the Call-Situation 2

question 20

Essay

You Make the Call-Situation 2
Paul Layer is the owner of Aspen Funeral Alternatives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Aspen is located in a converted restaurant with fluorescent lights, and its chapel has chairs, not pews. "It looks more like your insurance company or local business office, rather than a funeral home," Layer says.
Aspen has adopted a strategy of discounted prices for funeral products and services. Its Web site (http://www.aspenfuneral.com) promotes low-cost alternatives with no fancy facilities, no limousines, and no hearses. A general price list, covering Aspen's professional services, use of its facilities, and caskets, is posted on the site.
Sources: Lorrie Grant, "Funeral Stores Sell Inevitable in Style," USAToday, May 30, 2001, p. 3B; and http://www.aspenfuneral.com, June 8, 2004.

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Definitions:

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A non-invasive procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain, often used in treating depression.

ECT

Electroconvulsive Therapy, a medical treatment most commonly used for severe depression which involves inducing seizures in an anesthetized patient with the aim of providing relief from psychiatric illnesses.

Lithium

A metallic element that occurs in nature as a mineral salt and is an effective treatment for bipolar disorders.

Dietary Restrictions

Limitations on what an individual can eat, often for health, religious, or ethical reasons.