In 1978, President Jimmy Carter proclaimed November as National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. A brief window of time meant to spotlight the importance of hospice and palliative care, helping the public understand the benefit of this type of serious-illness care and the importance of advance care planning.
This year’s theme is Courageous Conversations. In a culture that often teaches us to resist mortality and a healthcare system defined by interventionism, the seemingly simple act of having a conversation about dying can have a profound impact. President Carter had these discussions with his own family and made his wishes known about electing hospice services. Last month he celebrated his 99th birthday surrounded by family after more than 6 months under hospice care.
As we kick off this year’s National Hospice and Palliative Month, I encourage everyone to have similar Courageous Conversations and ask yourself these questions: If I am faced with a terminal diagnosis, how would my values shape my end-of-life journey? How do I want my loved ones to engage with me toward the end of my life? It’s difficult to think about these topics, but having these courageous conversations with ourselves, family, friends, and doctors can mean the difference between having the type of death you want – one that matches up with your values and desires – and one that doesn’t allow you to have a say in your own end-of-life journey.