Aug. 25 (Bloomberg) -- Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, whose 1969 book ``On Death and Dying'' helped improve living conditions for terminally ill patients, died at her home in Scottsdale, Arizona, yesterday. She was 78.

Kubler-Ross was one of triplets born in Zurich, according to a biography on her Web site. She graduated from medical school at the University of Zurich in 1957 and came to the U.S. in 1958, where she was ``appalled' by the way dying patients were treated in New York hospitals.

Her first book outlined the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, despair and acceptance, and helped improve the way dying patients are treated, said the Alexandria, Virginia- based National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, a nonprofit group that advocates better care for the dying.

Kubler-Ross was author of more than 20 books on the subject of dying, and received more than 20 honorary degrees. She had many major strokes in 1995 that left her paralyzed and facing death, according to her Web site. She retired and moved to Arizona in 1996.

``She made much of the work hospice does possible by openly talking about death, dying and bereavement,'' said Stephen Connor, vice president of research at the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, in a statement.

To contact the reporter on this story: Chris Dolmetsch in Princeton at cdolmetsch@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: August 25, 2004 14:40 EDT