Latest Kaiser Health News Stories
Barbara Bush’s End-Of-Life Decision Stirs Debate Over ‘Comfort Care’
The former first lady’s announcement “not to seek additional medical treatment” and to focus on “comfort care” shone a light on end-of-life choices.
‘Aggressive’ New Advance Directive Would Let Dementia Patients Refuse Food
Supporters call it the strongest move yet to document a patient’s advance wishes in cases of severe dementia. Critics say it would deny basic care to society’s most vulnerable.
Oregon Couple’s Final Days Captured In Intimate Aid-In-Dying Video
Dr. Charles Emerick and his wife, Francie, died together last spring after both being diagnosed with terminal illnesses. First, they let their daughter turn on the camera.
Never Too Late To Operate? Surgery Near End Of Life Is Common, Costly
Nearly 1 in 3 Medicare patients undergo an operation in their final year of life.
KHN Conversation On Living Well With Dementia
Listen and learn from this Kaiser Health News’ Facebook Live event. “Navigating Aging” columnist Judith Graham led a discussion about dementia, one of the most challenging chronic conditions for individuals and their families — which affects millions of American families.
At Some Veterans Homes, Aid-In-Dying Is Not An Option
Citing fears of losing federal funds, California is the latest state to require discharge of terminally ill residents from state veterans homes if they plan to end their lives with lethal drugs.
Doctors Learn How To Talk To Patients About Dying
Clinicians can be so focused on fixing problems and saving lives that they often avoid talking to patients about their prognosis.
As Doctors Drop Opposition, Aid-In-Dying Advocates Target Next Battleground States
Will efforts to expand the practice to Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey and Hawaii succeed this year?
For Elder Health, Trips To The ER Are Often A Tipping Point
Experts provide tips for older patients and their caregivers to cope with the physical and mental declines associated with emergency room visits.
Reverberations From War Complicate Vietnam Veterans’ End-Of-Life Care
Vietnam veterans’ wartime experiences — and their lasting psychological toll — can make it harder to treat their physical and emotional pain as they approach death.
‘Put The Fire Under Us’: Church Spurs Parishioners To Plan For Illness And Death
Pastor Gloria White-Hammond wants to get all 600 congregants to write down their end-of-life wishes and discuss them with their families.
The Long Goodbye: Coping With Sadness And Grief Before A Loved One Dies
For those confronting the string of losses that accompany frailty or serious illness, experts offer salves.
Doing More Harm Than Good? Epidemic of Screening Burdens Nation’s Older Patients
Patients are often aggressively screened for cancer, even if they won’t live long enough to benefit.
These Annual Checkups Help Seniors Not Only Survive But Thrive
Seniors are living longer and defying predictions of cognitive and functional decline. Wellness coaches guide them in setting goals for the year — whether physical, social, intellectual or spiritual.
Straight From The Patient’s Mouth: Videos Can Clearly State Your End-Of-Life Wishes
Video advance directives enable people to speak directly to their families and physicians about their wishes for end-of-life care.
This Thanksgiving, Carve Out Time To Talk About End-Of-Life Wishes
A vital tradition is gaining steam as more families use the holiday gathering to discuss and document advance-care plans.
Hospice Workers Who Care For The Dying Don’t Plan Ahead Themselves
Fewer than half of health care workers at a nonprofit Florida hospice had completed advance directives for end-of-life care.
New ‘Instructions’ Could Let Dementia Patients Refuse Spoon-Feeding
Patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias can say in advance if and when they want caregivers to stop offering food and fluids by hand.
Poll: Americans Avoid Planning For Serious Illness
A majority of Americans say it’s important to write down their medical wishes in case of serious illness, but only a third have done so.
‘No One Is Coming’: Hospice Patients Abandoned At Death’s Door
U.S. hospice agencies promise to be available around-the-clock to help patients dying in their homes. But a Kaiser Health News investigation shows that in an alarming number of cases, that promise is broken.
