Hospice and End-of-Life Choices – September 17, 2023
Will your hospice honor your choice to die with dignity? Unfortunately, many do not support a hastened death. Since January 1, 2021, California healthcare entities are required by law to post their policy on Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) on their websites. HSSD has found that few are complying with this mandated transparency. This meeting features three guest speakers from hospices that are in compliance and provide MAID to their qualified patients. You’ll hear from Dr. Flora Danque, Medical Director of Apreva Hospice; Dr. Trevor Rabie, Medical Director of AccentCare Hospice; and Jamie Hunt, RN, CEO of Topkare Hospice. Participants have told us this was a highly informative program that everyone should see before making the crucial decision on hospice care. Please visit our website Resources tab for more information: HemlockSocietySanDiego.org.
October 18, 2026. Don Vivrette and Pete Kote discuss a new way to think about giving: Why generosity can behave like an investment
*Five simple giving vehicles, explained plainly
*Giving that pays you back: Tax savings, income for life, and smart timing
*Building your legacy: Supporting causes and family for years to come
*Getting started: Practical first steps and questions to ask
August 23, 2026.
Voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED) is a legal choice to end hopeless suffering by hastening death. More people are considering this end-of-life option, but few truly understand it. A daughter, a doctor, and a death doula explain the medical, practical, and emotional support that can help ensure a peaceful and dignified end-of-life experience.
June 14, 2026
What do you do when the law won’t allow the kind of death you want? For a growing number of Americans, the answer is: go to Switzerland. This program brings together perspectives rarely heard side by side:
Pat Spears whose husband, Bert – facing Alzheimer’s – traveled to Switzerland for VAD.
John Watson introduces a trusted resource for navigating end-of-life options in Switzerland.
Experts from Pegasos explain the process, requirements, and realities of Voluntary Assisted Death in Switzerland.
On May 22, 2026, Professor Thaddeus Mason Pope, JD, PhD, HEC-C, was the guest speaker for the Girsh endowed lecture on Medical Aid in Dying to the UCSD School of Medicine. The lecture begins at 11:05. Professor Pope reviewed the evolution of the California End of Life Option Act over its first decade, then discussed how medical aid in dying is likely to evolve over the next five years, including: (1) by expanding access to people with dementia, (2) by changing eligibility requirements, and (3) by amending safeguards to be more evidence based.