Advance Directives Not Honored: A Wife’s Story
My husband was clinically dead when they started the CPR and intubation. There was no coming back to himself. So why were his wishes not honored? (Continue reading ...)
“I Want Her to Be Respected”
"I know she's dying. I just want her to be respected." (Continue reading ...)
How the Norse Faced Death: What Viking Grief Can Teach Us
The Norse made space for mourning and for continuing bonds with the people they had lost. We could do more of that, too. (Continue reading ...)
Why You Should Have A Healthcare Agent
Without legal next of kin or a healthcare agent, a court will appoint a complete stranger to be your guardian to make life and death decisions. If you're uncomfortable with that, name your power of attorney. (Continue reading ...)
2025 Report: An Investigative Analysis of Implementation Barriers Across U.S. Jurisdictions Where Medical Aid in Dying is Legal
Last year, the Completed Life Initiative commissioned Sarah J. Kiskadden-Bechtel, MBe to conduct a landscape analysis of common barriers and best practices of medical aid in dying (MAID) in the United States. How jurisdictions address the implementation challenges documented in the report will shape how legal authorization translates to meaningful access for all eligible patients who choose MAID as an end-of-life option. (Continue reading ...)
A Hidden Species
"Society would be well-served to understand what proportion of the population chooses to hasten their death. Only by measuring a phenomenon can we hope to understand it and craft beneficial public policy in response to it." -- Doug Wussler (Continue reading ...)
Hospitality at the End of Life
Dying at "home" with loved ones is a bit easier now, thanks to a small but growing number of end-of-life hosts who open their doors to those who go to Vermont and Oregon to die. (Continue reading ...)
Lessons in How – and How Not To Die
This story, about one woman’s experience of both best and worst at life’s end, is being told for the dual messages it brings. (Continue reading ...)
I am an End-of-Life Doula: Listening, Supporting, and Advocating
My job is listening, holding space, being present – and it’s also educating and advocating. (Continue reading ...)
Your Digital Legacy
It is time to ask yourself: What will happen to your digital assets after you die? (Continue reading ...)