Is Deactivating a Cardiac Pacemaker Euthanasia?
September 4, 2014
“He’d feel okay about not replacing the pacemaker’s battery when it ran down, he said. But turning it off, he…
Community Health Workers: Key to Reducing Disparities in End-of-Life Care
September 9, 2013
Despite recent attention, dying in the United States is a complex and often suboptimal experience for patients and providers alike…
$10,000 Design Challenge to Improve the Communication of End-of-life Preferences
April 23, 2013
Do you have any good ideas on how to get more people to complete advance directives early, re-visit them periodically,…
What is your patient’s PPD status?
February 21, 2013
Bree Johnston, a true believer in geriatrics and palliative care, contributor to GeriPal, and erstwhile colleague at UCSF, recently returned…
Bereavement Does Not Immunize the Grieving Person Against Major Depression
December 4, 2012
This is a guest post by Dr. Ronald Pies in response to this week’s GeriPal post about the removal of…
Is it time for another lawsuit? Advocating to change the Medicare Hospice Benefit eligibility requirements
November 5, 2012
By now most everyone has heard about the proposed settlement of a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Medicare that would do…
Advance directives reduce end-of-life costs in New York and Los Angeles
October 5, 2011
When have advance directives ever been shown to do anything? They were a complete failure in SUPPORT. Study after study…
A Study of Dignity Therapy on Distress and the End-of-Life Experience
September 5, 2011
Dignity Therapy is a brief form of psychotherapy developed by Harvey Chochinov, MD with a goal of conserving a dying…
Graceful dying – all is not equal
August 18, 2011
My dog is dying. When he was diagnosed two months ago with brain lesions, we had an open, practical conversation…
Asian Cultural Taboo Impedes End-of-Life Care?
August 16, 2011
Last week, I started interviewing clinicians who care for frail elders at On Lok Lifewaysas part of a study led…