Mayflies: Lessons Learned in Death
While relationships between friends and spouses are understandably different, with different issues at stake, they both require understanding, patience, and transparency. Good, honest communication is central to the health of all relationships.
Speaking to Your Physician About Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD)
Talking to your physician can be difficult and intimidating. Talking to your physician about your end-of-life wishes can be even more so. I know! I spent my career on the other side of the table as a practicing physician.
Where there’s a Will, there’s a way
Our growth these last two years in particular has been exponential – we are now answering hundreds of inquiries annually, attending dozens of Medical Aid in Dying deaths, and raising awareness to thousands more through our media outreach and Speaker Program.
Finding your Bereavement Safe Zone
By Lynne Calkins What is a ‘Bereavement Safe Zone’? It’s 5 PM on a Tuesday evening. We’re sitting at our computers, strangers from all over the US, staring at faces […]
A Dementia Patient Chooses VSED
I felt seen and loved by him in that moment, as I had always felt. “There were many beautiful exchanges,” says Julie. “We shared memories, talked about how much we loved each other, and gave our regrets permission to wash away.”
Looking for answers about the use of MAiD
Know that in California medical aid in dying is available to you. You may never need it, but you have the right to understand it and choose it if the time comes.
New Study Shows Only a Quarter of Californians Are Aware of Medical Aid in Dying Rights
End of Life Choices California Board Director Adrian Byram co-authors study evaluating disparities in public awareness and institutional support from healthcare systems and found that Californians are nearly 16 times less likely than Canadians to choose Medical Aid in Dying.
Dementia and End-of-Life Choices
Dementia is actually a general term for loss of memory, language, problem-solving, and other thinking abilities that become severe enough to interfere with daily life.
The VSED Handbook
The VSED handbook is a useful guide that details the steps author Kate Christie and her family took when her late mother Jane chose a peaceful death by VSED.
If Only We Had Known
Understanding what services are available, often mandated, is critical to those dealing with terminal diagnoses.
Thanksgiving. Giving Thanks. Giving. Thanks.
There are so many inspirational quotes and phrases about Thanksgiving focusing on gratitude and thanks, one quote from Erma Bombeck stands out to me: “I come from a family where […]
MAiD MYTHS
We live in a time of misinformation and disinformation. EOLCCA receives a lot of inquiries from people who believe many of the myths circulating about MAiD. The purpose of this article is to dispel those myths and provide you with the facts.
Eggs in Purgatory Book Review
Award-winning author Genanne Walsh examines some of the most complex questions that confront terminally-ill individuals and family members wanting to help and support them. Facing life’s end is no easy task. Walsh’s father Gene faced his own end fearlessly and early, but when it arrived there were roadblocks for him, as well as for his loyal and supportive daughter, that they could never have anticipated.
Gifts & Lessons Learned Through Loss
Occasionally a purpose, an enlightened drive, arises from the ashes of grief, bringing meaning to the unimaginable. And that is the true gift. Through the loss of my terminally-ill husband, I found that my bestowment was writing. Writing not only brought me immeasurable pleasure and release, but it took on a life of its own and began helping others in my same situation as I shared my innermost, deep, dark, and light emotions to my community online,
New Report on Medical Aid in Dying in California
Equally important to EOLCCA is the fact that the number of people who obtained a MAiD prescription increased by almost 50% compared to 2021. Universal knowledge that California has this law is a critical missing element that persists as a major roadblock for those who might request medical aid in dying.
End of Life Choices California—Here for You
Watching things bloom this time of year makes me think a lot about End of Life Choices California and how we too are growing. I am pleased and honored to […]
Last Flight Home
“It was like light from a lighthouse,” says David Timoner of the call he got from End of Life Choices California (EOLCCA) when he and his family were facing the toughest time of their lives.
David’s 92-year-old father Eli was in the hospital. He had reached a point at which advanced COPD, CHF, and other health issues had become intractable and meant he would have to transfer to a care facility. But Eli knew he wanted to die at home surrounded by those he loved, and he asked about medical aid in dying. His family understood and supported his decision but didn’t know where to turn for help. Vaguely aware of a California law, they still had no idea what to do next.
Major Improvements to the End of Life Option Act
Thanks to the determined leadership of Sen. Eggman, and signed October 5, 2021 by Gov. Newsom, SB 380 makes the California End of Life Option Act more accessible to the terminally-ill.
Advance Care Planning and the Role of Hospice
“The peace of mind that results from that rich conversation improves the mental and social well-being of patients and reassures them that their family won’t experience the suffering of not […]
COVID-19 and MAID
This KQED (San Francisco) story by April Dembosky offers a wealth of accurate information for anyone thinking about using the California End of Life Option Act (EOLOA) to access MedicalA […]
Barriers Persist in California and Elsewhere
The barriers to using medical aid in dying remain so high that in one state, pharmacists are fighting back and helping terminally-ill individuals find physicians willing to help.
When You Don’t Have Access to Medical Aid in Dying…
As of Tuesday, August 27, an appeals court in New Jersey overturned the restraining order mentioned in this post, which halted New Jersey’s “Aid in Dying” law, now making it […]
We are growing up
End of Life Choices California is growing up. We launched in February 2019 as just the spark of an idea. An idea full of purpose, caring, enthusiasm and commitment. The […]
Upcoming San Francisco Volunteer Training Aug. 18
Hello Northern Californians! In case you haven’t already heard, we want you to know about an upcoming fabulous opportunity. We have scheduled our first northern California volunteer training in San […]
National Clinicians Conference On Medical Aid In Dying
We are pleased to announce that End of Life Choices California just became an official sponsor of the first-of-its-kind National Clinicians Conference on Medical Aid in Dying taking place at […]
Client Advocate Volunteer Training Program Launched
EOLCCA inaugurated its first Client Advocate Volunteer Training program on June 2, 2019 in Tarzana, CA. We spent a fact-filled day training four wonderful volunteers from the Los Angeles and […]
UCSF drops proposed partnership with Dignity Health!
We are delighted to let you know that patient choice has won again! The University of California San Francisco has decided not to pursue a proposal to partner with Dignity […]
How to Make Doctors Think About Death
An Opinion piece was recently was published in the New York Times by Theresa Brown entitled, How to Make Doctors Think About Death. It was a great piece and right […]
Happy Launch Day, End of Life Choices California!
From Merriam-Webster: LAUNCH: to throw forward : HURL; to release, catapult, or send off (a self-propelled object); to set (a boat or ship) afloat; to give (a person) a start; […]