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…

“Stage 4. Aggressive. 12–15 months.” These were the first few words my client shared with me at our initial evaluation. Though he was experiencing word finding issues due to aphasia — an acquired language disorder…

As medical professionals, few challenges rival delivering serious news to patients, especially when we lack straightforward solutions. We must delicately balance honesty with empathy. Too much blunt truth risks appearing callous; too much gentle reassurance…

10 Themes to Spark Meaningful Conversations: A Curated Guide from The Conversation Project