Lynne Calkins remembers one call from a man whose terminally-ill father wanted to die – beginning a story that led to a movie. Last Flight Home, an acclaimed documentary released last fall, was described in one review as “boundlessly humane.” It’s a phrase that...
At the end of the day, I felt honored to have had the privilege to support Billy in his choice to use medical aid in dying, and to witness his passing. From the first phone call through the day of Billy’s death, we spent many hours on his case–and this is not unusual. I was also fortunate to participate in the very core of the work we do at EOLCCA: to help our terminally-ill clients find relief from their suffering, and achieve the peaceful, dignified death they want.
Being direct about a sensitive and personal topic like aid in dying can be intimidating. But the more clearly you express yourself, the more likely your doctor is to really “hear you” and understand not only your request, but also your priorities and values.
Planning for the end of life is unique to any other human life experience. Raising the topic with family members or friends is not easy. Talking with our doctors about our end of life is also difficult and not commonplace. Even when confronted with a terminal condition, the sensitivity around death causes many doctors to be reluctant about initiating such discussions and to instead rely on their patients to raise the topic.
Sabemos que hay versiones diversas de cómo vivir una vida buena y plena. ¿Sabía usted que contamos con varias opciones para morir una muerte digna y serena? Entre ellas se encuentran la muerte natural, el cese de tratamientos médicos, el hospicio, los cuidados paliativos, la sedación paliativa, la suspensión voluntaria de la comida y la bebida, y la ayuda médica para morir.
We know that there are various versions of how to live a good and full life. Did you know that we have several options for dying with dignity and serenity? These include natural death, stopping unwanted medical treatment, hospice, palliative care, palliative sedation, voluntarily stopping eating and drinking, and medical aid in dying.
While we do not yet have a way to fully avoid the future possibility of debilitating dementia, we do have the opportunity to communicate our own wishes, views, and needs. We can represent ourselves now.
For our fourth week in April honoring National Healthcare Decisions Day (April 16), we will complete this series by discussing two additional topics that can be added to an Advance Directive as addendums. Both are important and worth discussing. So, let’s get...
Now that you have hopefully talked with your loved ones about getting an Advance Directive (AD) done, or are thinking about updating it, here is a little more information. By the way, it is recommended that people review their Advance Directive every five years or...
Although conversations about Advance Care Planning may seem awkward at first, they often bring family members closer together. Talking about death/end of life is deeply personal. Sharing beliefs and desires with those closest to you produces a more intimate...
Most of the work we do at End of Life Choices California involves talking with people about dying: addressing their fears, providing support with problem solving, helping them access the resources they need to plan for the kind of death they wish for. Some people...
