Introduction to End-of-Life Options (EOLO)
Understanding the basics
Introduction to End of Life Options
It is never too early to learn about the full range of end-of-life options that are available as we age and/or become seriously ill or injured. Understanding these options is critical as we plan for our future health care decisions through advance healthcare planning— by completing advance directive forms, through discussions with our healthcare providers and loved ones, and by appointing a health care agent (sometimes called a healthcare surrogate, healthcare power of attorney, or medical proxy) should we become incapacitated.
Under the NM Uniform Healthcare Decision Act which established our right to self-determination, in 1995, these are our personal decisions to make…there are no “right” answers. Some people will choose to pursue life-sustaining treatments even if the chances of resuming a normal life are small and the side effects of treatment are difficult. They value extending life above all else and want to “fight the good fight” all the way to the end.
Others will choose among other options that range from not initiating any treatments, ceasing unsuccessful treatments, to taking a palliative approach towards comfort care by enrolling in hospice or choosing to hasten their death by voluntarily stopping eating and drinking, or medical aid in dying, if they qualify.
End of Life Options NM supports all of these choices and we are available to help you understand them. It is important that everyone can make decisions based on their particular situation and their values and based on what options are available to them. Learn more about each of the options by clicking the links below.
What are your options at end of life?
- Continue Treatment – Pursue life-sustaining treatments
- Forgo or Cease Treatment – Declining or stopping life-sustaining treatment
- Palliative Care Specialized care focusing on relief of symptoms and help with treatment decisions
- Hospice Care End-of-life comfort care, mostly in the home, focusing on quality of life and family support
- Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED) Refusing any food or liquids to hasten death under medical supervision
- Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) Eligible adults requesting a prescription for life-ending medication from a qualified provider
Learn More
Click on the links below to explore your options.
Continue Treatments
Forgo or Cease Treatment
A legal right to refuse medical treatment even if that treatment is necessary to sustain life. These life sustaining interventions can include ventilators, feeding tubes and pacemakers.
Palliative Care
This type of care is focused on providing relief from the symptoms and stress of a serious illness. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family.
Hospice
Hospice is a program in which an interdisciplinary team of caregivers provides comfort, support and dignity to terminally ill people when medical treatment is no longer expected to cure the disease or prolong life.
Palliative Care Specialized care focusing on relief of symptoms and help with treatment decisions.
Voluntarily Stopping Eating and Drinking
VSED: a legal right for any individual who wishes to shorten their dying process by refusing nourishment orally or through a tube.
Medical Aid in Dying
Medical aid in dying is a medical practice that allows mentally capable, terminally ill adults to request a prescription for life-ending medication from their health care provider.
Contact Us
Whatever your question or request, you may contact us by phone, email, web form, or by joining our facebook conversation. We look forward to hearing from you.
Call our warmline dispatcher!
Our dispatcher Viki Teahan will respond to your inquiry and direct you to a client support volunteer to answer your questions and direct you to the support you are seeking. Messages left after business hours will be responded to as quickly as we can. Let us know how we can help.
RESOURCES:
RoundGlass, End of Life Collective
This valuable tool allows you to upload your documents so you and others have ready access to them, wherever you may be. Streamlined resources are free of charge, while a monthly unlocks more features.
