{"id":3074,"date":"2019-09-08T15:27:50","date_gmt":"2019-09-08T19:27:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gpscolumbus.com\/?p=3074"},"modified":"2021-07-07T21:43:50","modified_gmt":"2021-07-07T21:43:50","slug":"new-twist-talk-conversations-comfort-care","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gpscolumbus.com\/new-twist-talk-conversations-comfort-care\/","title":{"rendered":"A New Twist on \u201cThe Talk\u201d \u2014 Conversations About Comfort Care"},"content":{"rendered":"

You probably remember being a recipient of\u00a0 \u201cThe Talk\u201d \u2014 an uncomfortable conversation somewhere during your early teenage years when a well-intentioned adult tried his or her best to explain where babies come from. For many of us, that cringe-worthy conversation was initiated by a parent, who wanted to prepare us for life and the responsibilities that come with it.<\/p>\n

What we didn\u2019t know at the time is that decades later that conversation would be reversed. We would be initiating the conversation, and the birds and the bees would be replaced with something just as important and revealing \u2014 end of life decisions.<\/p>\n

End of life decisions include living wills, advanced directives, and powers of attorney. But it also includes decisions about comfort care, also referred to as palliative care, which focuses on managing symptoms and remaining comfortable at the end of life instead of choosing aggressive medical treatment that prolongs life.<\/p>\n

Days before former first lady Barbara Bush passed away in 2018<\/a>, she announced that she would be seeking comfort care at home surrounded by her family. Her decision and her openness to share it with the world sheds light on a national movement about documenting patient\u2019s wishes before they are in the situation where they can\u2019t make the decision themselves.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for the Bush family, Barbara had communicated her wishes well. Her family supported her, and stood by her side during her last days. Her passing was peaceful, comfortable and dignified.<\/p>\n

But it\u2019s not that way for some, and it can become particularly complicated when a loved one has dementia and can\u2019t make their wishes known. Family members of ailing loved ones are overcome with grief, don\u2019t know that their loved one would have wanted, and err on the side of prolonging life.<\/p>\n

As a society, we aren\u2019t having \u201cThe Talk\u201d soon enough, but it\u2019s not because we don\u2019t think it\u2019s important. According to The Conversation Project<\/a>:<\/p>\n

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