Podcast: Starting the Conversation Around Death and Dying

In this episode of the Care Dimensions Learning Institute's podcast of Living Forever, Not an Option, our hosts, Lyn Skarmeas and Mary Crowe tackle the challenges most of us struggle with when discussing health care wishes,death, dying and hospice care. Having the conversation early with your loved ones about how you would like to be cared for is one of the most important steps to ensuring that your health care and end-of-life wishes will be honored and respected.

In addition to your loved ones, your primary care physician/health care team also should be involved in the discussion. Planning ahead enables you to take charge of youe health care wishes. “Planning isn’t taboo. Use teachable moments to open the conversation,” Mary explained about approaching difficult topics.

Mary and Lyn stress that we need to become comfortable with talking about our health care wishes, advanced illness, and death. “We tend to run furthest from the conversations we most need to have,” says Mary. “Having conversations around difficult subjects are a gift and a way of creating closeness versus distance with those who are important to us.”

Listen to the podcast (click here)

Learn more about advance directives and how to start the conversation on our Planning Ahead web page. 

Watch our Timing is Everything television show that provides an overview of advance directives and how to find free planning resources (click here).

About the author:
Veronica Giarla is a marketing assistant working with the Care Dimensions Learning Institute.