An op-ed in the October 4 issue of the New York Times reinforces the need for compassionate and comprehensive support for end-of-life care that spares dying patients and their families from pointless and confusing bureaucracy and needless expenses.
The editors point to Nina Bernstein’s recent article about a daughter that just wanted to honor her dying father’s wishes and bring him home. It’s the kind of reporting that strikes a personal and emotional chord with many readers. The editors also highlight new efforts in New York State designed to alleviate some of these challenges.
Sally Quinn’s discussion about Ben Bradlee’s battle with dementia and his admission to hospice care in a recent Politico story also resonates through use of powerful narrative and quotes.
Zeke Emmanuel’s frank article in The Atlantic about his hope to die at age 75 puts a different twist on end-of-life care issues. These articles — and others like them — combine a compelling story with the strong writing and reporting necessary to keep an audience engaged.
For reporters planning an end-of-life piece, Dying in America, the new Institute of Medicine report and the subject of a recent AHCJ blog post, is a terrific place to begin to put this issue in perspective. There are also many resources available on the AHCJ website for journalists covering this issue:
- Our webinar with VJ Perikoyal, M.D., director of Palliative Care Education and Training at Stanford University, Nancy Berlinger, Ph.D., a research scholar at The Hastings Center and an author on end-of-life care, and San Jose Mercury News reporter and AHCJ award winner Lisa Kreiger
- Links to hospice and palliative care organizations, studies, reports and websites
- Key concepts for advance directives and long term services and supports
- Tip sheets on hospice, palliative care and other topics related to end-of-life care
- Data on spending, access and demographics
The AHCJ website also features shared wisdom and insights from your colleagues and peers that can add more scope and depth to your reporting.
End-of-life care is a hot topic these days; if you haven’t yet reported on it, you probably will sooner or later. Why not start here?
