End-Of-Life Care Study Shows Consistency
A study released by the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in the Archives of Internal Medicine have concluded that regardless of mental or physical health, most senior citizens do not change their minds on how they would like their end-of-life care to be handled as they get older.
“We found that the people who wanted the least [aggressive treatment] were the most likely to continue wanting the least, whereas the people wanting the most were the most likely to change over to wanting less over time,” said study author Dr. Marsha N. Wittink, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Pennsylvania.
This is an important study because of the few families and individuals that actually talk about their end-of-life preferences (read:Talking About End-of-Life Helps the Dying, the Family) many do so with some reluctance because they are afraid that they are unable to change their mind or feel like they may not know what they will want in the future. The study shows that most people actually stick to their guns, so to speak when it comes to how they would like to spend the last weeks or days of their life.
This is just another strong reason why families should talk openly and honestly with their physicians about what they want from end-of-life treatment and care. If you have the ability to dictate how you leave this world, take the time to do it for the sake of yourself and your family.