Can Your Doctor Understand Your Advance Directive?

(Editor’s note: This content is provided by The John A. Hartford Foundation, a Next Avenue sponsor.) Health care is deeply personal — especially as we age and face serious illness. Although it may not feel like the easiest conversation to have with our… Continue reading

For the Dying, Music Can Be Magic

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) At a time when health care costs are soaring and health providers are strained for time, arts-based innovations can offer excellent patient care at the end of … Continue reading

Drone Ambulances to the Rescue

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Remoteness is what makes family worry about us. It’s true at any age — from a daughter who sets off on a weekend hike into the deep woods to a couple who choos… Continue reading

The End-of-Life Care That Veterans Need

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Every veteran is unique, with a lifetime of memories, stories and achievements. At the same time, veterans share a common experience regardless of when and whe… Continue reading

The Lack of Workplace Support for Rural Caregivers

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) Challenges abound for rural residents needing care and their unpaid caregivers. Often, caregivers take loved ones to specialists who are located in remote citi… Continue reading

The Raw Feeling of Losing a Fiftysomething Friend

My husband’s friend died last week. He was 57. That’s how old my husband is. His friend was a great guy, married, a father of three, always kind and generous, thoughtful and considerate. We both liked him a lot. He developed a chronic form of cancer ab… Continue reading

What Matters? Don’t Let Health Care Get in the Way

(Editor’s note: This content is provided by The John A. Hartford Foundation, a Next Avenue sponsor.) When it comes to health care, what matters varies from person to person and differs depending on your state of health or illness. For one person, it mi… Continue reading

When a Dog Makes a Difference at the End of Life

Even on the darkest of days, seeing a photo of Bailey, a 2-year-old Golden Retriever, can bring a smile to  your face. Her owner, Holly Parker of Chanhassen, Minn., realized early on that her dog was special. After going through obedience classes with … Continue reading

What Nora Ephron Can Teach Us About Planning a Funeral

In June 2012, Meryl Streep gave one of her finest performances to a limited crowd. She hadn’t had much time to prepare, but it was a role that had been planned for her months, if not years, earlier. It’s just that the planner hadn’t thought to tell her… Continue reading

End-of-Life Rallies: Miraculous and Deceiving

(Editor’s note: This story is part of a special report for The John A. Hartford Foundation.) If you have a loved one in hospice, you may dream of having one final conversation or connection with him or her. For many, that wish becomes a reality, but it… Continue reading