DiJulio et al. (2015) state that 89% of the patients in their poll did not receive end-of-life education from their provider, but would like to, stating they would be comfortable doing so.

Where do you want to die? Facing Death – Facts & Figures, (2010) states that 80% of chronically ill patients do not want to die in hospital institutions. They also state that 10% of Medicare patients spend a week in the ICU prior to death. The ICU accounts for 10-20% of a hospital’s mortality rates.

According to Wu & (2017), more than half of Americans are disappointed with the low quality of end-of-life services provided in the United States. These Americans stated wanting honesty from their providers, while leaving the decisions of end-of-life decisions to the family and not the medical society. Despite this, over 64% of the surveyed felt that Americans didn’t have control over end-of-life decisions. Wu & (2017) also said that the majority of Americans wish to die at home.

This raises a significant question about why this isn’t happening. Why do Americans feel like they are not in control of end-of-life decisions? What can we do as a society to address this issue?

For these reasons, and many others, it is crucial to have a strong support team that advocates for patients regarding their end-of-life desires. Death doulas can arm clients with tools and knowledge to create the best end-of-life experience tailored to their circumstances.

By- Stephanie Daich

References:

DiJulio, B., Firth, J., & 2015. (2015, September 30). Kaiser Health Tracking Poll: September 2015. KFF. https://www.kff.org/health-costs/poll-finding/kaiser-health-tracking-poll-september-2015/

‌Facing Death – Facts & Figures. (2010). FRONTLINE. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/facing-death/facts-and-figures/

Wu, B., & 2017. (2017, April 27). Views and Experiences with End-of-Life Medical Care in the U.S. – Findings. KFF. https://www.kff.org/report-section/views-and-experiences-with-end-of-life-medical-care-in-the-us-findings/

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