1. Supporting the Conversation

Many people find that  talking about their upcoming or eventual death, or the death of a loved can be to be emotionally charged and difficult.  Sadness, anger, and fear are all real emotions that can emerge during conversations about end of life, and the anticipation of those feelings can understandably get in the way of exploring options in medical and palliative care and making important decisions.

Not surprisingly many people put off “having the conversation” as long as possible, and in some cases that delay means that care options are not discussed and family members are left in the dark about the wishes of their loved ones.  This can have real and serious impacts on people, families, and the health care system.

At the same time, while having conversations about end of life can be difficult, the result is often clarity in terms of knowing the desires of loved ones, relief in terms of being able to share fears and concerns, and feelings of love and closeness that often grow from what is ultimately a real heart to heart conversation.

Supporting “the conversation” is at the core of our funding strategy to improve end of life outcomes in Santa Barbara.  Increasingly, we are looking to support strategies that change the way the health care system supports these conversations, and integrates those strategies into the standard practice of care.  We are increasingly looking at this work from a health equity perspective.