Why the Holiday Season is the Perfect Time to “Talk Turkey” about End-of-Life Care Wishes

Thanksgiving is traditionally a time when loved ones gather to celebrate gratitude, share meals, and reflect on what matters most. It is a time for connection, storytelling, and deepening relationships.

That makes it a perfect time to sit down together to discuss your values, priorities and beliefs about your end-of-life healthcare, and the things you do and don’t want. This important conversation can be a wonderful gift to those around you and may even bring you closer together. Here are some steps you can take: 

• Our End-of-Life Decisions Planning Guide and Toolkit is available to help you begin planning and discussing your end-of-life healthcare wishes. This resource is full of information to help you make a plan to get exactly the treatment you want and eliminate any guesswork for your loved ones and medical team.
• Our Dementia Values and Priorities Tool will document your wishes regarding the care you want and create an addendum that can be added to your existing advance directive. It’s never too soon to initiate the conversation with your primary care physician or provider. 
• Explore the rest of our resources for end-of-life planning. The above are just a sample of the tools and resources to help you and your loved ones finish strong by planning for an end-of-life experience that matches the life you’ve enjoyed – defined by love, purpose and agency.

Let’s talk turkey over turkey this fall. The focus on family, gratitude, and reflection makes the holiday the perfect time to approach this important discussion with love, clarity, and thoughtfulness. By talking about your wishes during Thanksgiving, you not only ensure that your family understands your preferences, but you also provide them with the peace of mind that comes from knowing they are making decisions that align with your values. While it’s important to fill out this paperwork, it’s essential to get the conversation going. 

Start or continue the dialogue when the holiday season begins. We are also proud to share our key resources in Spanish as well.

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