Even people who understand the healthcare system can struggle to find the off-ramp when treatment stops matching what a patient wants. We explore why end-of-life options are so often discussed too late and how families can start those conversations sooner.
Guest Information:
- Karen Lutfey Spencer: Professor of Health and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Colorado Denver, author, The Good Death: Why End-of-Life Healthcare Is So Difficult and How to Make it Work for You
Karen received news that her mom had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Her mom was also familiar with healthcare and hospitals, having spent her entire career as a nurse. Even so, once the diagnosis settled in and all of the treatments began, it felt like a rat race that neither of them knew how to slow down or navigate.
Spencer says she didn’t have the language then in her thirties to advocate for a different kind of care. She says this is where the distinction between palliative care and hospice becomes important.
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