VIDEO | What Matters in the End: It's Time to Have the Conversation

No one can predict the future. But you can plan for it. This video can help get you started. 

Does your family know what your wishes are for care if you become seriously ill? Do they know what your end-of-life wishes are? It's a tough conversation to have, but believe it or not talking about it can provide immeasurable comfort not only for you but for your loved ones if something does happen. 

Today is National Healthcare Decisions Day, a day to inspire, educate and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. More than a quarter of all adults have given little or no thought to the care they would want to receive if seriously ill or nearing the end of life.

This video from the Institute of Medicine can help you figure out just when and how to start that conversation with friends, family, and care providers. More resources are available at www.iom.edu/theconversation. Related resources available through DKH include assistance in creating a living will/advance directive, and Hospice & Palliative Care of Northeastern Connecticut, which has a long history of enhancing the lives of patients and their families through an individualized plan of compassionate care that meets physical, psychosocial, spiritual and emotional needs.