“I tried to explain that hospice care could help his wife stay at home — which had been her goal — with the tools to manage her symptoms as they worsened. I tried to explain that this was not about “giving up,” but about maximizing the quality of the time that she had. There was so little that we could do for her in the hospital, ultimately. But all he could hear was a word that made him think of endings and loss.”

By Daniela J. Lamas, M.D.

End-of-life treatment guidelines would help families, physicians and nurses confront the inevitable with care and compassion.