By Bethany Gonyea, MS
All of us live with the unknown of how our last days will unfold. We can plan for the inevitable, but life has a way of unwinding differently than we had hoped. People may find themselves at the end of life without the finances or family…
By Ottamissiah Moore, RN
I am often asked how I managed to care for my oldest son during his brief battle with cancer. It has been the toughest task as a mother. I have worked as a nurse caring for people at the end of their life my entire nursing…
By Peter Rogatz, MD
The approach of life’s end is difficult for most patients and their families. Despite the best efforts of health professionals, some patients reach a point of unrelieved suffering and seek to hasten the inevitable end. In response to such deeply felt needs, as of August 2021…
A Story of Guardianship (and How to Avoid It)
By Peter Strauss, J.D.
Britney Spears, one of America’s most successful young pop stars, was 26 when her father commenced a guardianship proceeding in California (called a “conservatorship” in California) and obtained almost total control over her life and finances. While his powers over Britney, now 39, have been modified…
By Roshni Kavate, RN
Introducing myself as a palliative care nurse draws either a cloud of discomfort or a wave of non-stop stories. Some people don’t know what to say when I share my work with people navigating the end of their lives. And when they do there’s sadness, a…
By Sue Checchio
We can’t help but feel helpless when someone we care about faces the end of their life. We offer to bring meals to them or their family; we volunteer to do errands, walk the dog, or even help clean. We pray. …
Why Do Some Consider This Option? Why Should They? What Should They Know Before Proceeding?
By Judith Schwarz, PhD, RN
Ruth* was 93 when she made her decision to stop everything that was keeping her alive. She was DONE! She called her son and daughter and asked them to be with her when she initiated her plan to end her life by voluntarily stopping eating…
