"More than 90 percent of Americans believe that we should be able to talk about death and dying, according to a recent poll. But only 27 percent were comfortable talking about it, and 31 percent were uneasy about contemplating their own mortality. But things may be starting to change. Since the end of the pandemic, more Americans are having conversations about end-of-life care. And The New York Times cited a perceived desire for greater openness and more dialogue in launching a new series last year aimed at exploring various aspects of death and dying."
"I think that there has been a lot of effort in the past 15-20 years to help patients and families learn how to talk about these issues with each other and also to help medical professionals learn how to talk effectively with patients and families about serious illness and the dying process. And so I think we're at a good time, in the sense that there are resources available."
More than 90 percent of Americans believe that people should be able to talk about death and dying, yet only 27 percent feel comfortable and 31 percent feel uneasy about their own mortality. Since the end of the pandemic, more Americans are having conversations about end‑of‑life care, and there is a perceived desire for greater openness and dialogue. Significant efforts over the past 15–20 years have helped patients, families, and medical professionals develop skills to discuss serious illness and the dying process. Patients and loved ones often experience separate islands of worry, highlighting the need to bridge gaps to share grief and concerns.
Read at Harvard Gazette
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