As a parent, you understand that there will be times when you need to have tough conversations with your kids. When my first daughter, Yasmeen, was born, I had a good idea of what these…

I did not understand the importance of having conversations about care through the end of life until I experienced my first loss, the passing of my maternal abuelita in 2016. There is much I don’t…

There is no denying that when it comes to caring for individuals there is great power in shifting from a typical “What’s the matter with you?” clinical-based approach to a combined “What matters to you?”…

My father had cancer but didn’t want to talk about his health. Or his health care. Or his health care wishes. None of it. He wanted to know how his grandsons were doing. And how…

When we are no longer able to change the situation, we are challenged to change ourselves. —Victor Frankel, Man’s Search for Meaning Malcolm was sitting up in bed, his hospital door ajar. He had on…

The only time my husband and I talked about anything to do with the end of our lives was when we chose our children’s godparents—those who would take care of them should we both die….