Feisty Side of Fifty/Baby Boomer Women: Although it’s difficult to contemplate, each of us needs to share what we want—otherwise there is likely to be a giant gap between our end-of-life preferences and how we actually spend our final days on earth. To underscore this point, here are some of the unsettling facts The Conversation Project uncovered:
- 60% of people say that making sure their family is not burdened by tough decisions is “extremely important”
- 56% have not communicated their end-of-life wishes
- 70% of people say they prefer to die at home
- 70% die in a hospital, nursing home, or long-term care facility
- 80% of people say that if seriously ill, they would want to talk to their doctor about end-of-life care
- 7% report having had an end-of-life conversation with their doctor
- 82% of people say it’s important to put their wishes in writing
- 23% have actually done it