- Cremation/Burial/Funeral/Body Donation/Survivor’s Benefits
- What to Do After Someone Dies
- Bereavement/Grieving/Loss
The Conversation Project
An initiative of the Institute for Healthcare Improvement “helping people share their wishes for care through the end of life.”
Death Café’s “objective is ‘to increase awareness of death with a view to helping people make the most of their (finite) lives’.
Conduct conversations about end-of-life care, death, and dying.
End of Life Resource for Patients and Families
Jointly created by Ariadne Labs and The Conversation Project to help people with a serious illness think through and talk about what matters most to them – to make sure they get the care they want.
“What Matters to Me” Workbook
Your Guide for Taking with a Health Care Team: How to talk about the care that is right for you or someone you care for.
Death with Dignity Act – Determine the status of states that have Death with Dignity statutes (physician-assisted/aid-in-dying laws)
According to Death with Dignity National Center, “a Life File is a central place to keep “how and what” documents that ensure your wishes are honored at the end of your life and your loved ones have the information they need to take care of your affairs when you die.”
Excellent page of resources provided by Death with Dignity National Center, including Life File, physician aid in dying statutes, A Checklist for End-of-Life Planning, Advance directive/living will, medical power of attorney healthcare proxy, POLST/MOLST, Advance care planning with Alzheimer’s/dementia, palliative care, and hospice, alternatives to physician-assisted dying, Advanced planning for Alzheimer’s Disease or dementia.
Creating Your Life File: A Checklist for End-of-Life Planning
Securing Your Life File | Death With Dignity
Resources | Death With Dignity
Ralph Harms Chooses a Death with Dignity – Follow His Story
Alternative Options to Hastening Death
Whether physician-assisted dying is available in your state or not, you may be able to hasten your impending death by not starting treatment, stopping treatment, palliative sedation, or voluntarily stopping eating and drinking.
Hospice
| CATEGORY | HEALTH CARE |
| SERVICE/SUPPORT TYPE | Hospice |
| AGENCY | Medicare – Medicaid – VA – HMO – Other private health insurance plans |
| COST | Hospice Care Coverage (medicare.gov) |
| ELIGIBILITY SUMMARY | Hospice is a type of care that is used once curative treatments are declined or one voluntarily stops eating or drinking, and one has six months or less to live, as determined by a doctor. People may have hospice at home, in-patient hospice facilities, and long-term care facilities, such as skilled nursing facilities. Generally, program referrals are made by one’s licensed medical provider. |
| WEB LINK | Hospice Care Coverage (medicare.gov) |
| APPLICATION | See Hospice Care information in the Additional Info section for information about how to apply with your particular insurance |
| ADDITIONAL INFO | Learning about Hospice Medicare Benefit Policy Manual Who Pays for Hospice? Medicare: If one has Medicare Part A (Hospital Insurance) and meets all of the conditions: Hospice Care Coverage (medicare.gov) Medicaid: Hospice Benefits | Medicaid VA: Hospice Care – Geriatrics and Extended Care (va.gov) Locate a Hospice agency by name or location Hospice is a type of care that is used once curative treatments are declined or one voluntarily stops eating or drinking, and one has six months or less to live, as determined by a doctor. People may have hospice at home, in-patient hospice facilities, and long-term care facilities, such as skilled nursing facilities. Hospice expenses are covered by Medicare, Medicaid, HMOs, the Veterans Administration, and many private insurers. ACL and AoA Hospice Care Fact Sheet Medicare Hospice Benefits Hospice Foundation of America National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Caring Connections (A Program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization) |