Hospice is a service to support a terminally ill patient’s physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. Hospice concentrates on managing a patient’s pain and other symptoms so that the patient may live as comfortably as possible and make the most of their remaining time. Hospice also supports the patient’s family and caregivers, including grief and loss counseling.
Another advantage of hospice is that a hospice nurse can declare death and facilitate transportation to a mortuary. If someone dies at home and you call 911 and there is no DNR, paramedics may attempt emergency procedures.
Typically hospice care is provided in the patient’s home, with the majority of the day-to-day care falling on family members and caregivers. As this article on the “Cost of Dying..” points out, ” hospice has ballooned into a nearly $19 billion industry. It’s now the most profitable service sector in health care, as the industry’s business model relies heavily on unpaid family caregivers.”
As we increasingly see that we want to provide home-based care, we’re relying even more on caregivers. And it does take a toll.
-professor Katherine Ornstein, who studies the last year of life at Mount Sinai Hospital
Medicare will pay a set fee to qualified hospices for care of those with a terminal illness with a prognosis of six months or less to live. To stay on hospice, Medicare requires documented continued decline. Medicare will cover medications related to the terminal diagnosis and medical equipment, but will not pay for treatments intended to cure a terminal illness or treatments unrelated to the terminal diagnosis. The Medicare hospice benefit does not cover room and board in a nursing home or hospice residential facility. Some hospices provide extra services such as aroma, music therapy, etc. Some hospices have volunteers for extra support.
If you have a Medicare Advantage Plan you may be limited to hospices approved by the Medicare Advantage Plan.
You have the right to change your hospice provider once during each benefit period.
Articles related to hospice:
Daniel Ellsberg Diagnosed With Terminal Cancer – A Letter to the Editor by Faye Girsh March 27, 2023As most of you may recall, Daniel Ellsberg (born April 7, 1931) is an American political activist, and former United States military analyst. While employed by the RAND Corporation, Ellsberg precipitated a national political controversy in 1971 when he released the Pentagon Papers, a top-secret Pentagon study of the U.S. government decision-making in relation to the Vietnam War, to The New York Times, The ...Hospice for Jimmy Carter – Letter to the S.D. Union Tribune by Faye Girsh March 27, 2023In 2015, Former President Jimmy Carter announced he had been diagnosed with metastatic melanoma (cancer) – found during a surgery on his liver – that had spread to his brain. After a series of hospital stays, he chose to enter hospice care at home in early 2023 and forgo medical treatment for his illness. The ...I’m a Solo-Ager and I’ve Hired a Death Doula March 27, 2023This is a very information story by an 80 year-old journalist diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer and COPD revealing her reasons for hiring a death doula. Click here for full storyVermont permits woman from another state to end her life via assisted suicide March 18, 2023A decision was reached in a Vermont court allowing a woman from Connecticut to receive MAID there. Oregon is the only other state that allows MAID for nonresidents. Click here for full storyCatholic health care restrictions lead WA Legislature to eye changes February 7, 2023After years of unchecked mergers, nearly half of Washington state’s hospital beds are in Catholic-affiliated facilities. There, Catholic rules inhibit — or prohibit — aid in dying, abortion, certain fertility treatments, and contraception. It’s not only women’s health issues. You may know about Living Wills and Advance Care directives. These give you the right to determine ...Helen Mirren & Donald Sutherland Discuss “The Leisure Seeker” February 1, 2023Click Here to watch an interesting discussion of our February Right-to-Die film selection, The Leisure Seeker, by its two legendary stars, Helen Mirren and Donald Sutherland. Join us for a free screening and discussion of this wonderful movie on Saturday, February 18th, at 2:00pm at the Pacific Beach Taylor Library.Why writing a will and planning your death is a lifetime gift to loved ones January 24, 2023Click here for full storyWife fatally shoots terminally ill husband at Daytona Beach Hospital, Police Say January 23, 2023This incident is a tragic example of why better end-of-life options are needed in all U.S. states. Click here for full storyCanada prepares to expand assisted death amid debate December 12, 2022Click HereNetflix Short Documentary – Extremis December 5, 2022Currently playing on Nextflix, Extremis is a 24-minute documentary that deals with real dying patients in a hospital who are on life support and the hard decisions their families have to make about whether to disconnect life support and allow their loved on to die of their illness, or have them surgically attached to a ...Ondi Timoner Talks About Her New Documentary “Last Flight Home” December 3, 2022Click here to watch the videoA Son’s Decision to Help His Father Die December 3, 2022A very interesting story about the decision to use VSED. Note that a Catholic chaplain refused to minister to the patient because he had chosen to die this way. Click here to read full articleHow Hospice Became A For-Profit Hustle December 1, 2022An eye-opening examination of the profit-driven hospice industry: Click Here For more information on San Diego area hospices and which ones have complied with the state law on posting their MAID policy on their website, please refer to the hospice report compiled by Pat Fisher on the “Resources” tab of this website under the Hospice heading. Click ...World Federation of Right to Die Societies Interactive Map November 3, 2022WFRtDS worldquotes DEF Click on the pictures of people to read their RTD story.Widow who paid £10,000 for terminally ill husband to die in Switzerland calls on UK to change its euthanasia laws October 28, 2022‘The shame about it is that had the UK law been in place then those four years would have been so much more pleasant because he would have known that when he couldn’t cope with it no longer he could have just asked for the assistance required’. Full ArticleThe Place Where Homeless People Come to Die With Dignity October 21, 2022Full ArticleDutch Activists Sue Government Over Assisted Suicide October 21, 2022Full ArticleDr. Phil Show On the Right to Die Aired Oct 13, 2022 October 19, 2022Among the guests were Philip Nitschke, founder of Exit International, Thaddeus Pope, expert on medical law and clinical ethics, and Dan Diaz who traveled to Oregon with his terminally wife, Brittany Maynard, for a peaceful death after her battle with terminal brain cancer. Click here to watch the full show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZUk0ffMJ7UWorld Right to Die Day November 2 and World Federation Conference October 12, 2022World Right to Die Day is celebrated November 2nd in participating countries around the world. The celebration was founded in France at the World Federation of Right to Die Societies Conference in 2008 and has since spread to other parts of the globe. Participating countries vary in their customs of celebration. In conjunction with this special ...Human Rights Court Sides With Belgium in Euthanasia Case October 5, 2022The Belgian state didn’t violate the rights of a person suffering from depression when it accepted her decision to go ahead with a euthanasia procedure, the European Court of Human Rights found Tuesday. Judges ruled in favor of Belgium in three out of four counts — only finding fault over how the government conducted a review ...California will allow human composting as alternative to cremation or burial September 28, 2022Click here for more informationPatient sues Vermont over assisted suicide restrictions September 23, 2022A terminally-ill Connecticut woman is suing Vermont to drop their residency requirement for physician-assisted suicide. Bridgeport resident Lynda Bluestein, in addition to a Vermont physician, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Burlington last month that argues the Green Mountain State’s residency requirement for medical aid in dying violates the U.S. Constitution, according ...Faye Girsh Will Speak at the La Jolla Riford Senior Center 9/22/22 from 1 – 3 pm September 14, 2022Choice, Dignity and Control at the End of Life This two-hour discussion group will give you the tools for making and communicating your choices at the end of life. We will review documents you’ll need (such as Advance Directive, POLST) decisions to make in advance (resuscitation, intubation), and non-violent actions you can take to achieve a ...France to open debate on legalizing assisted suicide September 14, 2022French President Emmanuel Macron has announced a national debate meant to broaden end-of-life options. https://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/france-open-debate-legalizing-assisted-suicide-89824039Jean-Luc Godard chose to end life through assisted dying, lawyer confirms September 14, 2022Jean-Luc Godard, the maverick French-Swiss director who revolutionised post-war cinema in Europe, died by assisted dying, his lawyer has confirmed. The medical report on the death of the 91-year-old director said he had chosen to end his life. He “had recourse to legal assistance in Switzerland for a voluntary departure” because he was “stricken with ‘multiple incapacitating illnesses’”, ...An Interview with Joanne Tubbs Kelly, Author of “Walking Him Home: Helping My Husband Die with Dignity” August 31, 2022Click here to read the interview. https://www.5280.com/2022/08/author-joanne-tubbs-kelly-talks-about-helping-her-husband-die-with-dignity-in-colorado/Voice Your Choice to Broaden California’s End of Life Option Act August 30, 2022Click here to learn more about the effort to expand the California EOLOA and how you can help. https://broadenchoice.org/Hospices Have Become Big Business for Private Equity Firms, Raising Concerns About End-of-Life Care August 28, 2022“That makes dementia patients particularly profitable. Doctors have a harder time predicting whether a patient with Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia has less than six months to live, the eligibility criterion for enrollment. For-profit hospices enroll those patients anyway, Teno said, and stand to profit the longer those patients live. They tend to ...Terminally-ill Connecticut grandma who’s suing Vermont over rule banning visitors from it’s assisted dying program says mom’s horrific cancer death inspired her lawsuit August 28, 2022“It is the second legal filing of its kind in America, with Oregon previously agreeing that they would allow people from out of state to access their facilities without prosecuting them for breaching the residency stipulation.” Click here to read the full article: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11150933/Connecticut-grandma-shares-shes-suing-Vermont-let-use-euthanasia-law.html NOTE: The article incorrectly states that “Vermont is one of two US states ...The Case for Medical Aid in Dying August 24, 2022A Maryland psychiatrist presents rational arguments in favor of medical aid in dying. Full ArticleAggregating 23 Years of Data on Medical Aid in Dying August 10, 2022Over 23 years, 5329 patients died by MAID, while 8451 received a prescription. More men than women died by MAID (53.1% vs. 46.9%), and non-Hispanic white individuals (95.6%) died by MAID more than other racial and ethnic groups. The median age of MAID death was 74. Most (72.2%) had at least some college education and most ...Switzerland helped my wife die with dignity; she should have been given relief here August 5, 2022Click here for full story Many thanks to Maia for sharing this story with us.Hearing Today on California EoLOA Lawsuit July 8, 2022A hearing today will decide if California’s End of Life Option Act will be put on hold while a lawsuit by the Christian Medical and Dental Association moves forward. The plaintiffs argued the law violates their religious rights by forcing them to tell patients they do not offer this type of end-of-life care. They must ...Death With Dignity Podcast July 7, 2022We’d like to share this great series of podcasts recorded by Andrew Flack in Oceanside, CA. He describes his project as “the story of a 33 year old man with terminal cancer exploring the physical, social-emotional, and spiritual elements correlated to the Death With Dignity process; Join us as we navigate and explore the End ...Denying Patients Physician-Assisted Suicide is a Civil Rights Issue July 1, 2022Please take a few minutes to read this editorial and watch the compelling video that was sent to us by Maia Calloway. https://progressive.org/latest/denying-patients-assisted-suicide-civil-right-wilder-220623/Judge Rules California Aid-In-Dying Law Does Not Discriminate Against Disabled People June 23, 2022Very disappointing news. A federal judge said he cannot allow an Americans with Disabilities Act carveout to California’s assisted suicide law that would let doctors assist people too weak or disabled to ingest end-of-life medication, finding that such a provision would “fundamentally alter” the law from conferring the ability to take your own life to having ...What Oncology Nurses Should Understand About Medical Aid in Dying June 21, 2022Should oncology nurses only be familiar with these laws if they live in a state where it is legal? How might nurses support a patient who wants MAiD, yet lives in a state where it is not an option? Click here for more informationSean Davison is Free and Launches a New Book June 21, 2022On 20 June 2022, former President of the WFRtDS Professor Sean Davison concluded his sentence of 3 years house arrest in Cape Town after taking a ‘guilty’ plea deal for the ‘murders’ (assisted suicides) of Anrich Burger, Justin Varian and Richard Holland in South Africa between 2013 and 2015. Many of you will recall donating ...Roundtable Death Cafe on June 29th June 21, 2022The Completed Life Initiative is launching a new Round Table Death Cafe series via Webex beginning Wednesday, June 29th at 9:00am Pacific Time/12:00pm Eastern Time. For more information and to register for free, please click here: https://completedlife.org/roundtable-death-cafe/Downloadable Health Care Directive Form for Dementia June 19, 2022https://dementia-directive.org/Italy Sees First Assisted Suicide After Years of Court Battles June 19, 2022Many thanks to Sharon for bringing this news story to our attention. https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/975717?src=wnl_edit_tpal&uac=293249FX&impID=4346246&faf=1Quebec Bill Would Enable MAiD for Alzheimer’s June 15, 2022A bill proposed in Quebec would include dementia patients in legal assisted dying. It will be interesting to watch how it goes as a potential model for legislative change in U.S. states. It’s good to see our friend Kelly Bone speaking out in this article. https://www.beingpatient.com/death-with-dignity-canada/California Dept. of Public Health EOLOA Forms and Information May 26, 2022The California Department of Health Center for Health Statistics and information has an informative webpage on the End of Life Option Act for patients and providers. It includes a downloadable form for Patient’s Request for Aid in Dying. Click here for more informationNew Survey Findings on Nurses’ Values and Perspectives on MAID May 19, 2022The American Nurses Association’s Center For Ethics and Human Rights and the University of California, San Diego Health released the results from two new comprehensive studies of more than 2,374 nurses in the United States on Medical Aid in Dying (MAiD). Both qualitative and quantitative responses explore and describe nurses’ values, perceptions, and perspectives on ...Upcoming TV Show on Swedish Death Cleaning May 19, 2022NBC’s Peacock streaming service has ordered unscripted series The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning, which is based on the best-selling book by Margareta Magnusson. According to Peacock, the series will star a “Swedish Death Cleaner” who will help people who “are at a major crossroads … organize and demystify homes, lives, and relationships,” thereby “allowing us to prepare ...State Right-to-Die Statutes May 19, 2022Death with Dignity is a national leader in end-of-life advocacy and policy reform. Their website provides an interactive map of the U.S. with current information on their RTD laws and the status of pending legislation. Click Here for State StatuesColorado Composts its First Human Remains March 31, 2022https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/colorado-composts-its-first-human-remains-180979771/Oregon ends residency rule for medical aid in dying March 29, 2022https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oregon-ends-residency-rule-medically-assisted-suicide-rcna21932?fbclid=IwAR3H8TwESh3hY3WnfR2eNXstDmhAND424paeTB_IPxk_1xX4mTFz_CRxeBICalifornia Advance Health Care Directive Online Form March 11, 2022Your California AHCD can be filled out online. The form and instructions are available on this link: https://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/consumers/ProbateCodeAdvancedHealthCareDirectiveForm-fillable.pdf After completing this form, print it and sign and date the form at the end. The form must be signed by two qualified witnesses or acknowledged before a notary public. Give a copy of the signed and completed form ...Our New Mailing Address March 10, 2022Please note our new mailing address: Hemlock Society of San Diego P.O. Box 600481 San Diego, CA 92160New Video: A Visit to Pegasos February 16, 2022https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=giTet2PLneU In this video, Christie shares the personal story of her mother, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease at age 88. With no prospect of improvement, Christie’s mother decided to end her life at Pegasos in Switzerland. Christie has carefully presented the details of their planning and experience with Pegasos, hoping her experience will be helpful ...3-D Printed Suicide Pod is Now Legal in Switzerland December 6, 2021https://interestingengineering.com/a-3d-printed-assisted-suicide-pod-is-now-legal-in-switzerland?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=mailing&utm_campaign=Newsletter-06-12-2021 The inventor of the Sarco, Dr. Philip Nitschke, will be our guest speaker live on Zoom at our meeting on January 16, 2022 at 1:30pm. The link to register for this program can be found on the event card directly above on this page. Simply click on the link, then enter your name and email ...Changes in California’s End of Life Option Act Taking Effect in January December 4, 2021https://khn.org/news/article/new-california-law-eases-aid-in-dying-process/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_medium=email&_hsmi=190750941&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-82Qi87WJ4H912xRjyWoMSffv9Z7JXvz3z3NbfTzPY9ThzD1vrTImFfrjniqzim3bd1zSb1JJFEeNmmP42pjlHbsBSGKg&utm_content=190750941&utm_source=hs_emailHuman Composting December 2, 2021For anyone interested eco-friendly burial, this is a very informative video from Caitlin Doughty at The Order of the Good Death.Final Exodus – Advance Planning for a Good Death November 29, 2021Final Exodus will teach you how to think, talk, and write about your plans for a good death. Valuable information and the latest AHCD and POLST forms are provided on this website by California attorney and HSSD member Bill Simmons.End of Life Planning
Assisted dying now legal in New Zealand, End of Life Choice Act a ‘huge relief’ for some November 7, 2021“We have to remember people who are eligible are already dying, this is just the way that they die – not the fact they will die.” https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/euthanasia-debate/300443715/assisted-dying-now-legal-in-new-zealand-end-of-life-choice-act-a-huge-relief-for-someGood News for Californians! November 6, 2021https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2021-11-04/lawsuit-briefly-blocking-california-assisted-death-law-endsWhat Ways Can You Die When You’ve Had Enough of Life October 26, 2021https://www.thegooddeathsocietyblog.net/2021/10/24/what-ways-can-you-die-when-youve-had-enough-of-life/Dr Rodney Syme has died aged 86 – The VE Movement Has Lost a Giant October 25, 2021Many Hemlockers may not know Rodney, but he was a towering voice. Faye interviewed him at length in a recent presentation, Current Issues in the Right to Die: Australia. He was a gutsy doctor — an inspiration for all and a fighter to extend the law. The interview begins at 35:00. Click hereThese people want to die. Will their countries allow euthanasia? October 22, 2021https://www.nbcnews.com/news/latino/people-want-die-will-countries-allow-euthanasia-rcna3307?fbclid=IwAR1JowKHVmEkCH_FAKZy-7UVmpboWLHmdnyjP8LjtfT3H-Q0-wPTfPM2QpEWhat’s Wrong With Advance Care Planning? October 11, 2021Viewpoint What’s Wrong With Advance Care Planning? October 8, 2021 R. Sean Morrison, MD1,2; Diane E. Meier, MD1; Robert M. Arnold, MD3 Author Affiliations Article Information JAMA. Published online October 8, 2021. doi:10.1001/jama.2021.16430 Advance care planning (ACP) has emerged during the last 30 years as a potential response to the problem of low-value end-of-life care. The assumption that ACP will result in goal-concordant end-of-life care led to widespread public initiatives promoting its ...Governor Newsom Signs SB 380!! October 6, 2021https://www.fresnobee.com/news/california/article254793857.htmlCalifornia Passes Major Hospice Reform Laws October 5, 2021Head of Dutch RTD Group Detained September 30, 2021https://apnews.com/article/europe-health-crime-netherlands-assisted-suicide-54fd090d8a261723b9a04bcb8fea08f4Sandy Morris Challenges California Law September 22, 2021September 19, 2021 Sandy Morris Challenges California Law Lisa Krieger, Mercury News Sandy Morris Challenges California Law – But How? Sandy Morris challenges California law because when found out she would die of ALS, she resolved that she would bravely, peacefully and legally end her own life, surrounded by her beloved family and views of the Sierra Nevada. California’s End of ...California State Assembly Passes SB 380 September 13, 2021https://www.recordnet.com/story/news/state/2021/09/11/california-moves-extend-streamline-process-assisted-death/8298243002/Happy 100th Birthday to Our Board Member Ken Watson! September 6, 2021https://www.lajollalight.com/news/story/2021-09-04/la-jolla-centenarian-retired-la-jolla-physicist-ken-watson-celebrates-a-century-of-having-funNew Lawsuit Challenges Self-Administration in EOLOA August 30, 2021A group of doctors has just filed a lawsuit California challenging the self-administration requirement of the EOLOA. The complaint filed on 8/27/2021 states: “However, there is one group of Californians who cannot avail themselves of the benefits of this compassionate law: physically disabled individuals whose disability prevents them from self-administering the AID medication without assistance. ...Your Experiences, Please August 26, 2021We’d like to hear about your experiences with loved ones, or yourself, trying to or using VSED (Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking) and also using the End of Life Option Act to achieve a peaceful death. I will compile them, respecting your confidentiality, and will be able to let our members know important pointers to ...Support CA SB 380 August 24, 2021SB 380, the bill in the California State Legislature that would liberalize the End of Life Option Act in several important ways, is currently in The State Assembly Appropriations Committee with a hearing on August 26, 2021. The one local committee member is Dr. Akilah Weber, an OB GYN and daughter of Shirley Weber. If ...NEW VIDEO – Current Issues in the RTD: Australia July 13, 2021https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6k4Y5MbX0Y A discussion on right-to-die issues and laws in Australia led by Faye Girsh with speakers from Australia presented on July 8, 2021,NEW Video – Current Issues in the Right to Die: Switzerland June 29, 2021This program was held on June 24, 2021 via Zoom. It is first in a series of presentations by Faye Girsh and Ken Watson on Current Issues in the Right to Die. Note: To view this video, click “Watch on YouTube”, then click “I understand and wish to proceed”.New Book: Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking edited by Timothy E. Quill, Paul T. Menzel, Thaddeus Pope, and Judith K. Schwarz. June 11, 2021Available for pre-order and will ship July July 27, 2021. https://global.oup.com/academic/product/voluntarily-stopping-eating-and-drinking-9780190080730?lang=en&cc=ca#Stanford Letter Project May 21, 2021Using the Stanford What-Matters-Most letter form and answering some simple questions, any adult can write about what matters most to them when it comes to their healthcare choices they want to make for their future when they cannot speak for themselves. https://med.stanford.edu/letter.htmlForms: Advance Health Care Directive, Covid-19 Addendum, And POLST May 13, 2021Advance Health Care Directive Form Covid-19 Advance Health Care Directive Addendum Physician Orders for Life Sustaining Treatment
The Father . . . a film to spark a movement ??? May 12, 2021By Anne M. Haule, Hemlock Society Member and Volunteer Recently I went to a movie theater and saw my first movie in over 14 months of pandemic. It was so exciting to be in an actual theater again instead watching films online or on zoom. Walking into the lobby, seeing other movie goers, and smelling the ...American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying May 2, 2021A resource for patient-to-doctor referrals for medical aid in dying and educational information for clinical practitioners.ACAMAID
We Are All One “Bad Death” Away From Becoming Right To Die Advocates April 28, 2021By Anne Haule, Member, Hemlock Society It’s been almost 10 years, but I still cry when I think or talk about Larry’s death. I can’t get the picture out of my mind of his deteriorating body, hooked to his catheter, lying on the floor after falling out of bed. He died 5 days later in a hospice ...The Inevitable: Dispatches on the Right to Die April 17, 2021The Inevitable: Dispatches on the Right to Die by Katie Engelhart, 2021 Review by Faye Girsh While thousands were dying from Covid 19, assisted dying laws were passed in Spain, Austria, New Mexico, being considered in both Australian and U.S. states, and expanded in Canada. Equally refreshing and hopeful is this new book by Katie Engelhart ...Dutch Push for Demedicalisation of Euthanasia Laws April 12, 2021April 11, 2021 (From Exit International) The Coöperatie Laatste Wil (CLW), together with thirty Dutch citizens, is taking the Dutch State to court to create the legal right for voluntary, elective dying at a time of one’s choosing that does not require medical sanction or assistance. This Dutch push for the Demedicalisation of Euthanasia Laws is ...Medical Emergency: The Church-State Wall Has Collapsed When It Comes To End-Of-Life Care March 13, 2021Kim Callinan of Compassion and Choices writes about the ways the Catholic Church’s Ethical and Religious Directives (ERD’s) govern what kind of treatment you will receive (or NOT) at Catholic hospitals. Many of these directives influence end-of-life care. The majority of these hospitals do not publicly disclose these policies. … the number of Catholic-affiliated hospitals grew ...I’m the Doctor Who Is Here to Help You Die March 2, 2021In an article adapted from the newly-released book “The Inevitable,” Dr. Lonny Shavelson, Chairman of the American Clinicians Academy on Medical Aid in Dying talks about his experiences prescribing life-ending drugs to terminally ill people in California and how he came to transition from emergency room doctor to end-of-life specialist. Most of his patients were ...
Right of Way February 21, 2021Bette Davis and James Stewart star in this 1983 film as an aging couple who have decided to end their lives together after the wife is diagnosed with a debilitating terminal illness, in spite of objections by their daughter and community.Death with Dignity: How I helped my dad die February 2, 2021A daughter’s story of her father’s decision to end his life when he lost his independence and freedom due to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. He was facing quadriplegia. Her dad sent her a text message saying he was ready to die, and he needed her to help. The safeguards of ...Do you know if your hospital has directives that would force you to receive unwanted treatment at end of life? January 29, 2021January 16 marks Religious Freedom Day. While people’s spiritual beliefs take on heightened meaning at the end of their life, religious freedom at this time is unfortunately an aspiration, not a reality. A Jan. 4 study in the Journal of American Medical Association, found that an overwhelming 71% of Americans believe that personal decisions about ...
Soylent Green December 22, 2020This ecological dystopian thriller film portrays the year 2022. The cumulative effects of overpopulation, pollution and some apparent climate catastrophe have caused severe worldwide shortages of food, water and housing. Government-assisted euthanasia is available on request. Starring: Charlton Heston, Leigh Taylor-Young and the last performance of Edward G. Robinson.
The Farewell Pary (Israel) October 18, 2020This is a wonderful Israeli movie telling a unique, compassionate and surprisingly funny story of a group of folks at a Jerusalem retirement community who decide to help their terminally ill friend end his life. When rumors of their assistance begin to spread, more and more people ask for their help. What do they do ...In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Common, Survival Poor, in COVID-19 October 13, 2020Medscape reported on two studies of in-hospital cardiac arrest in Covid patients. In a report from William Beaumont Hospital, Royal Oak, Michigan, 60 of 1309 hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (4.6%) had an in-hospital cardiac arrest. Of these, 54 had documented cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). None survived to discharge. In a multicenter cohort study published online September ...How Doctors Redefined Death. Is it as binary as it seems? September 28, 2020by Rohin Francis, MBBS, Medlife Crisis Modern technology has blurred the lines of life and death to a confusing extent. Heart transplant operations changed the definition of death. The external corporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine can keep a person “alive” with no heart or lung in their body. In New York and New Jersey, a family can ...That Good Night: Life and Medicine in the Eleventh Hour by Sunita Puri September 18, 2020At the end of her training in internal medicine, Dr Puri was doubting the professional choice she had made, questioning if medicine was really what she wanted to do with her life. At the suggestion of a colleague, Dr Puri applied for a position in the palliative care department. She had found her medical passion. At ...