Dead Serious News: Giving Tuesday Update and More

Mandi Zucker

December 18, 2024

Thank you for your Support

Help us Pass Medical Aid in Dying in NY

Last month, I shared a few articles related to medical aid in dying. One was an interview with a doctor who prescribed the drugs used to hasten death and the other was an article about Pat Thaler, sister of former Mayor Koch, who died after living with cancer for many years. She utilized New Jersey’s medical aid in dying and was assisted by our own board member, Dr. Robin Plumer.

I connected with her son, Shmuel Thaler, after she died and he is incredibly grateful for the impact her story has had on so many. He shared this photo of Pat Thaler’s family holding her physically, and metaphorically a few weeks ago on November 16th as she lays dying. I am sharing a longer article here written by her son as so many of you were interested in the original article. I encourage you to use your own networks to continue to share her story so that more people learn about medical aid in dying and keep talking about it. Share it on social media, email it to your friends and family, send it to your legislators with a note about your support for this option or reach out to me about ways to get involved with End of Life Choices New York and our efforts to pass this bill.

And if you can’t do any of those things, or even if you can, make a donation to help us continue to put pressure on our lawmakers to get this done. We use every penny to educate people in all sorts of communities, as well as advocate directly with lawmakers on your behalf. We have been here for so many people before you, and will be here for the long haul, getting this bill passed and implemented.

As always, we wish you and your family a wonderful holiday season. Thank you for your support.

Make your End of Year gift here .

Mandi Zucker, LSW
Executive Director

Recent Events & Updates

Amendment to the Palliative Care Information Act

A new law initiated by End of Life Choices New York requires that health care practitioners provide information and counseling to terminally ill patients about the benefits of completing a health care proxy and appointing a health care agent.

Pursuant to the Palliative Care Information Act, which these provisions amend, health care practitioners were already required to provide information and counseling on palliative care and end-of-life options to terminally ill patients.

The new requirement for the health care practitioner to provide information and counseling to the patient about appointing a health care agent, is an important option to protect patient health care choices should they become unable to make those choices known to their practitioner. The new subsection also requires a copy of the newly completed or existing health care proxy be made a part of the patient’s medical record.

If and when you or a loved one becomes terminally ill, make sure that you and they have completed a health care proxy and that loved ones and relevant health care practitioners have a copy. Also make sure that you have copies readily available which can be in purses or wallet sized ones in wallets, on your smart phone or even on your refrigerator.

We are proud that another important law initiated by End of Life Choices New York will hopefully ensure that the wishes and goals of care of terminally ill patients will be respected. Please notify us if and when you are terminally ill or a loved one or friend is but that information and counseling have not be provided as required, as we understand that there is at least some non-compliance with this important end of life law.

Dementia and Medial Aid in Dying

We frequently are asked questions about the ability to utilize medical aid in dying with a dementia diagnosis. Obviously, without the law being passed in New York, no one can utilize this option in this state, but as people have serious concerns about their quality of life with dementia, there is a lot of curiosity if it will be available to them when the law passes and if they develop dementia.

Mandi Zucker recently attended a webinar hosted by The Hemlock Society of San Diego with Thaddeus Pope, JD, PhD, HEC-C. Dr. Pope is an expert on medical law and clinical ethics, focusing specifically on patient rights, healthcare decision making and end of life options. This was an informative webinar answering many of the questions we are asked all the time about the use of medical aid in dying with a dementia diagnosis. You can watch the webinar here.

David Leven’s Letter to the Editor in the NY Times

Executive Director Emeritus and Senior Consultant to End of Life Choices New York, David Leven, recently had a letter to the editor published in the New York Times. David frequently writes to the editors of print media when they cover end of life issues. This is important to do because he often corrects misinformation, validates quality education and adds context to important stories. This is one way we continue to educate the public about our mission and why expanding options at the end of life is so critical. You can read David’s letter here.

Ask Us Anything

Q: How much does a funeral cost?

A: Funerals can range in price and can vary drastically. Some prices are fairly stable but there are a lot of choices that can change the cost of a funeral. Check out the Funeral Consumers Alliance to learn more about the price of funerals and compare prices. If you are pre-paying for a funeral, it is a good idea to check out several funeral homes prior to purchasing any packages.

If you have a question you’d like answered, send it here!

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