How To Talk About End-of-Life Care

Anxiety, depression, conflict, guilt are common among those who have to make life-or-death decisions on behalf of a loved one—especially when the person's wishes are not known.

In a recent survey by the California HealthCare Foundation, 60% of people said that making sure their family is not burdened by tough decisions is "extremely important." And yet, 56% have not communicated their end-of-life wishes.

Ellen Goodman, co-founder of the Conversation Project, describes the goals of the initiative and why it is important to talk about your preferences.

The Conversation Project's free Starter Kit provides excellent tools and tips for helping you think through what is important to you and/or your loved ones. For example:

• What matters most to you at end of your life?
• Do you want to be involved in decisions about your care?
• Where do you want (or not want) to receive care?
• What kinds of aggressive treatments would you want (or not want)?
• When would it be okay to shift from life-sustaining care to comfort-focused care? 

The kit also offers suggestions for deciding who to talk with and how to start the conversation.

See previous post: http://healthsearchadvisor.blogspot.com/search/label/A%20Good%20Death

For additional resources on advanced care planning see http://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/acp-resources-public.pdf