Columns share an author’s personal perspective. Life is a terminal condition; everyone who lives eventually dies. So medicine’s role is not just to treat and possibly cure diseases, but to improve the ...

The end of life sometimes begins with an advance directive. Learning about advance directives now may make things easier for your loved ones later, when they're in a hospital room trying to ...

I had hoped that by now most adults in this country would have completed an advance directive for medical care and assigned someone they trusted to represent their wishes if and when they are unable ...

Treading into ethically and legally uncertain territory, a New York end-of-life agency has approved a new document that lets people stipulate in advance that they don’t want food or water if they ...

Medical emergencies and unexpected health crises can occur at any age. Advance care planning encourages people to consider potential future scenarios and plan accordingly, even if they’re young and ...

Terri Schiavo's family probably never imagined the decisions they would have to make regarding her care. But the court battle surrounding this 41-year-old woman, who was in a vegetative state since a ...

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many people, both old and young were faced with serious illness or a medical emergency that required vital decisions about their medical care, and sometimes those ...

With over 35 years as a dedicated physician, I've witnessed the gift given to loved ones left behind when an advance directive is completed and available for healthcare professionals to follow in the ...

I had hoped that by now most adults in this country would have completed an advance directive for medical care and assigned someone they trusted to represent their wishes if and when they are unable ...

Five minutes. That is all I had to make my case: to convince this 80-year-old man to fill out an advanced care directive. John, as I’ll call him, had served in the military for over thirty years, ...