I would like to tell you an all-too-familiar story. It begins with a long-term care home resident, Laura, who has multiple chronic conditions and gets an infection that doesn’t get any better.
Her health has been declining for months, but no one has talked to her about her preferences for end-of-life care. In the absence of that knowledge, she is sent to the hospital where she undergoes stressful tests.
The story ends with Laura dying in the hospital, alone and frightened. Her family is traumatized, and so are the staff who have cared for her over the past year.
It’s a simple fact that 100 per cent of us will die. Conversations about our future health care and what’s important to us — called advance care planning — have shown distinct benefits… Continue Reading