September 15, 2000
On Palliative Care & End-Of-Life Issues
By: Gail R Mitchell
 
There has been a large amount 
of publicity on palliative care and 
end-of-life issues recently. The 
September issue of AARP and the 
September 18th issue of Time 
Magazine have had important 
articles on the timely challenges 
the boomers face around these 
problems.
 
In light of the Bill Moyer’s,  “On 
Our Own Terms” documentary 
which has appeared nationally 
on PBS television this past week, 
it is important for caregivers to 
know how to address these issues 
with your loved one when their 
time is near.
 
Our nation as a whole has not 
been able to talk outright about 
the problems that arise surrounding 
dying and death. Our culture has 
not addressed the issues openly. 
As family caregivers, many are at 
a loss as to how to speak out and 
do something about them to make 
their experience easier. 
 
What astounds me the most is the 
difficulty caregivers and their loved 
ones have in dealing with the 
problems at hand. Many are into 
denial. Many choose not to speak 
of these unspoken necessities.  The 
ratings for the Bill Moyer’s program 
were actually down. My mom shared 
with me that there was a discussion 
group at her senior center. The 
leader wanted to address the issues 
covered in the program. The majority 
of the participants elected not to talk 
about it. Even my mother, who is very 
spiritually aware, had difficulty in 
watching the program. As a former 
caregiver and working in this field, 
I knew most of what was discussed. 
And yet, I too, had difficulty remaining 
focused during the entire four nights 
of viewing. There was so much 
information; I found myself video 
recording the series to watch at my 
own pace. The heaviness and 
depression that surround these issues 
holds true for the majority of us.
 
Most people appear to let our 
government and medical institutions 
guide us in these situations. People 
are living much longer due to modern 
medical technology and medicines. 
In many cases, life may be prolonged 
but the quality of life of an individual 
has been reduced drastically. When 
you get down to the crux of it all, 
the responsibility is in each individual 
to make informed decisions and 
choices as to how to handle them 
for themselves in their own unique 
situation. It is equally the responsibility 
of their loved one to make decisions 
and work with their caregivers if they 
are capable of doing so.
 
I believe that it is important for 
everyone to take time to sit quietly 
and reflect on what it is that is 
going on inside themselves in 
relationship to these topics. No one 
can escape these issues. They are 
a part of the circle of life. By taking 
the time to recognize your attitudes 
and beliefs, you may decide to seek 
professional help to get past the 
barriers that keep you from creating 
a less painful, more humane and 
loving experience for your loved one. 
If you find yourself still doubting, 
imagine what you would like your 
end-of-life experience to be like.
 
Richest blessings,
Gail




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