End of Life Resources

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Welcome to the End-of-Life Resources page; a library of information meant to assist physicians, caregivers, and patients find the information they need to better carry out end-of-life care.  Can't find what you're looking for?  Check back in soon becuse we are adding resources daily to continue populating the end-of-life resource categories. 

You may use the categories below to browse topics and resources or use the "Search EOLR" function on the left sidebar. 

"Fighting On" Deciding how and when to continue care at the end of life New England Journal of Medicine
Fighting on gives a real-life account of the challenges that come with end of life care.  Should care be prolonged?...
"Vesta” Performed Across Country
This Bryan Harnetiaux play offers a warm and often funny exploration of a family’s struggle with a variety of end-of-...
Adolescents with life-threatening illnesses The American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
Abstract:  Adolescents have unique physical and psychosocial needs. Adolescents want to gain autonomy, yet they must...
Anna Deavere Smith: "Let Me Down Easy"
The link below is to a November 6, 2009 episode of democracy now where Amy Goodman interviews Anna Deavere Smith who...
Dad's Legacy web article
Texas geriatrician Jerry Winakur wrote an essay titled "What are we going to do with Dad?" in the July/August...
Dying with Dignity The Hastings Center Report
This article by Dr. Ira Byock is from the March/April Hastings Center Report.  Dr. Byock speaks in prose about dignity...
Exploring the Harmful Effects of Health Care Journal of the American Medical Association
The following is an extract of an article published in JAMA that discusses the healthcare delivery system: "While...
Family Support in Pediatric Palliative Care: How Are Families Impacted by their Children's Illnesses? Journal of Palliative Medicine
This is an interersting article on the impact illness has on a pediatric patient's family.  The article explores both...
Finding Religion at the End of Life: Patients of Faith Seek Lifesaving Care
This March 2009 article from ABC News Health highlights the significant role that religion plays in deciding end-of-...
Gel Health Conference 2009 Gel Health
The Gel Health conference took place last week in New York where many speakers engaged listeners about "the patient...
Hard Choice for a Comfortable Death: Sedation The New York Times
This is an interesting article on terminal sedation (part of a series) that was featured on the front page of the New York...
Letting Go: What Should Medicine Do When it Can't Save Your Life? The New Yorker Magazine
Sara Thomas Monopoli was pregnant with her first child when her doctors learned that she was going to die. It started with...
On The Southern Front: A Written Piece by Julia Alvarez Health Affairs
This is a wondeful article written by Julia Alvarez, author of How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents and In the Time of...
Positive and Negative Religious Coping and Well-Being in Women with Breast Cancer Journal of Palliative Medicine
  Abstract:  Although religions is important to many people with cancer, few studies have explored the...
Shuffling In Grandmother’s Footsteps web article
Phyllis Richman (Washington Post’s food critic from 1976 to 2000 and author of "Who’s Afraid of...
State by State Advanced Directive forms and Instructions Website
This is a link to an organization called "Caring Connections" which operates under the National Hospice and...
Support Needs of Informal Hospice Caregivers: A Qualitative Study Journal of Palliative Medicine
This article is about the needs of informal caregivers (family, friends) as they care for hospice patients.  As of...
The Urban Zen Foundation
This organization was just recommended to me and is a vision and project of fashion designer, Donna Karen.  The Urban...
Tool #1 How to Select Your Health Care Agent or Proxy American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
When you decide to pick someone to speak for you in a medical crisis, in case you are not able to speak for yourself, there...
Tool #10 PDF: Resources: Advance Planning For Health Care American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
This is a PDF of some in-depth resources about end-of-life issues and advance medical directive forms.
Tool #2 PDF: Are Some Conditions Worse than Death? American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
This worksheet helps you to think about situations in which you would not want medical treatments intended to keep you...
Tool #3 PDF: How Do You Weigh Odds of Survival? American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
People evaluate the pros and cons of medical treatments in very personal ways. This explains why some people may choose a...
Tool #3 PDF: How Do You Weigh Odds of Survival? American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
People evaluate the pros and cons of medical treatments in very personal ways. This explains why some people may choose a...
Tool #4 PDF: Personal Priorities And Spiritual Values Important To Your Medical Decisions American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
People have personal priorities and spiritual beliefs that effect their medical decisions. This is especially true at the...
Tool #5 PDF: After Death Decisions To Think About Now American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
After the death of a loved one, family and friends are often left with some tough decisions. You can help ease the pain and...
Tool #6 PDF: Conversation Scripts: Getting Past The Resistance American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
Communication is the single most important step in health care planning. Talk about your wishes with the people who may be...
Tool #7 PDF: The Proxy Quiz For Family & Physician American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
How well does your family, proxy, or doctor know your health care wishes? This short test (open PDF file) can give you some...
Tool #8 PDF: What To Do After Signing Your Health Care Advance Directive American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
Advance planning for health care is always a work in progress. That’s because circumstances change, and lives change...
Tool #9 PDF: Guide For Health Care Proxies American Bar Association: Consumer’s Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning
If you are in a position to make medical decisions for someone else, this guide is for you. If you have been named in...
Vital Decisions
Vital Decisions is a health care consulting group focused on helping patients and families better understand and communicate...