Advance care directives

The Catholic Health Association of the United States (CHA), the Catholic bishops of California, Providence St. Joseph Health and Dignity Health have entered into a groundbreaking national...

Bishops in California, churches throughout the state and the state's two largest Catholic health systems are partnering to help ensure that people who are chronically and terminally ill get...

Palliative Care programs are being implemented in hospitals and medical centers around the country.  But few people are aware of the benefits of the whole-person care provided by the palliative...

Thanks to advances in public health and treatments, people are living longer than ever. What’s needed now are bold policies to improve palliative care and hospice for those with serious illness....

What is "whole person care" at all stages of life? How is illness personal?

Portraits of people with serious illness sharing their loving wisdom, through the lens of renowned photographer Andrew George. These moving images would not have been possible without the help of...

Asia Harmeling and Ralph Pasana talk about why they chose nursing. Ralph shares the memory as a teen of one day wanting to spend time with friends rather than care for his grandmother and how that...

Dr. Ira Byock and Dr. BJ Miller discuss being present, caring for the seriously ill, self-care and the secret to life.

With their daughter facing an incurable disease, Layla’s parents made the decision to embrace a better quality of life for her with care at home from TrinityKids Care. Part of Providence...

By: Ellyn M. Lee, M.D. If I were to ask 50 people what palliative care means, I would likely get 50 different answers and most would say the term is interchangeable with hospice care. Because of...

We hear the words palliative care and think end-of-life, hospice, impending death. Then we stop listening all together. Many think there are two separate roads in cancer care, one curative and...

All of us could face serious illness or injury at any age. An advance directive can ease the stress on family members and loved ones if they are faced with critical decisions about your...

By: By JoAnn Hoven, Providence St. Joseph Health staff Becky Brinda had known about advance directives for a long time; her husband had completed one after he was diagnosed with lung cancer....

Through National Hospice and Palliative Care Month every November, we’re reminded that now is the best time to learn about hospice when end-of-life care isn’t an immediate concern. Options for...

People who are being treated for advanced forms of cancer should be given care that will comfort and support them as the disease progresses, according to updated guidelines from an association...

One of the best tools for gracefully handling the transitions that face your aging parents is communication. Talk to them. If you go into the hospital, what do you want us to tell the doctors,...

Do you know what kind of medical treatment you would want if you were seriously ill or injured and unable to communicate your own wishes? Would your doctor or loved ones know what to do on your...