It’s not unusual for health care team members, whether you’re a physician, nurse, or other valued member of the team, to have difficulty knowing where to start when approaching conversations about end of life. Below…

Hospice is often described in terms of measurable services: pain management, interdisciplinary teams, comfort-focused care, equipment delivered, and hours spent at the bedside. These are accurate, but they capture only the exterior framework. What truly…

As we wrap up 2025, it’s a perfect moment for introspection. We deeply appreciate the insights we’ve gained from you—individuals and communities who have generously shared their experiences with advance care planning discussions. Throughout the…

Gene Hackman was one of my favorite actors. I adored him in The Birdcage. It deeply saddens me to think about how he and his wife, Betsy Arakawa, passed away. For the past 20 years…

While conversations about health care wishes are our special sauce, we always get questions about where to store documents (health care proxy, advance directives, etc.) once they have been filled out. Below are common scenarios…

As a death doula, someone who supports people through the dying process, I’ve walked beside many people during their final chapters. Some deaths were peaceful, tethered to clarity and intention. Others were messy — complicated…