Seasons of change…

Mandi Zucker

October 14, 2026

Live How You Like, Leave How You Like

There’s something about fall that invites me to pause. As the leaves change color, the days grow shorter, and we begin preparing for the colder months ahead, I’m reminded that change is a natural part of life. Each season brings an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been, what matters most, and what we want to carry forward.

I often know what to expect from one season to the next. But sometimes, nature surprises us. Last winter brought more snow than we’d seen in a long time, making everyday life far more difficult than many of us anticipated. We may have expected the usual winter, but instead, we found ourselves facing something that required more preparation, more help, and more flexibility than we had planned for.

Life can be like that, too. I know it’s easy to feel healthy today, assume there’s plenty of time, or believe we know what the future holds. But an unexpected diagnosis, an accident, or a sudden change in circumstances can alter our plans in an instant. While I can’t predict every season of life, I can take steps to prepare for the ones I haven’t anticipated.

That’s why I think fall is a wonderful time to check in on something we often put off: our end-of-life plans. Have you updated your health care proxy? Does the person you’ve chosen to make medical decisions for you still know your wishes? Have you talked with loved ones about what matters most to you if you become seriously ill? Are your advance directives, financial documents, and legacy plans up to date?

I don’t see these conversations as expecting the worst. I see them as making thoughtful choices today so that, if the unexpected happens, the people we love have the guidance and reassurance they need. I believe planning ahead is one of the most meaningful gifts we can give our families—and ourselves.

To me, a legacy is about more than what we leave behind. It’s the values we share, the stories we tell, the relationships we nurture, and the wishes we make known. Taking a little time this season to put our plans in order can help ensure that our voices continue to be heard when it matters most.

I can’t control what the next season will bring, but I can prepare for it. As nature transitions into fall, I’m taking this opportunity to reflect on my own future and encourage you to do the same. The best time to make your wishes known is while you can share them yourself.

If you need some help to do that, check out this page on our website for some additional information and free templates that you can customize to fit your own values.

Thank you so much for your support,

Sincerely,
Mandi Zucker, LSW, CT
Executive Director, End of Life Choices New York

Upcoming Events

We have several upcoming events that we encourage you to join. Find one, or several, options that you connect to and join us!

Meet-n-Greet: October 19 at 3 PM on zoom. Join us to learn more about the work we are doing and how you can get involved in supporting people at the end of their lives. Register here.
Medical Aid in Dying – a New End of Life Option You Should Know About: October 21 at 11 AM at the New Rochelle YMCA, 50 Weyman Avenue, New Rochelle, NY. Join Senior Consultant and Executive Director Emeritus David Leven and Assemblymember Amy Paulin, lead sponsor of the Medical Aid in Dying Act, to learn about this complex law and the safeguards and eligibility requirements needed to access it. No registration required.
Legacy League: October 29 from 10-11:30 AM in Manhattan, NY. Join us for an in-person, no-agenda hang out to talk about death and dying- or what we call a “Legacy League”. Bring your questions, worries and fears, and curiosities as we get together to demystify and se-taboo death. And don’t worry – if it gets quiet, we will play a fun game! Register here.
End of Life Binder Making Program: November 18 at 1:30-3:00 PM, Morton Memorial Library, Rhinecliff, NY. Registration not required.
Medical Aid in Dying Panel Discussion: November 18, 4-6 PM, Starr Library, Rhinebeck, NY. Join a discussion about medical aid in dying, including time for questions. Register here.

Update on Medical Aid in Dying Implementation

We continue to provide incredible services for New Yorkers seeking medical aid in dying. We have been hearing from people all over the state and have been able to successfully connect them to providers, for whom we are incredibly grateful! Medical aid in dying implementation has been going strong! We have referred over approximately 40 people to providers as they seek end of life care. While we continue to provide support to New Yorkers as they call, we are also connecting with more and more clinicians that are interested in providing this care. We have added more doctors to our list of providers which will allow more people to receive care in a timely manner. If you are a patient needing coordination of services, please complete this intake form and we will work to make the needed referrals. EOLCNY also created a comprehensive guide to medical aid in dying in NY that can be accessed on our website and/or downloaded if needed.

There have been over 100 calls to our information line and over 80 people have either completed or are in the process of considering medical aid in dying since August 5. These patients represent more than 20 NY counties and have been supported by at least 10 physicians and several additional larger hospice/hospital systems. please reach out to me.

If you are meeting with your doctor in the next few weeks or months, don’t forget to ask them if they will be providing aid in dying care! If they are interested, please make an introduction so we can provide them with all the support they need! Share this flyer with them or ask if they’d be open to a conversation about medical aid in dying with End of Life Choices New York and The Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine. We would be happy to schedule a call to introduce them to the practice and provide resources for them to feel competent and capable to practice in this area.

If you learn of trainings in your community, please forward them to us so we can reach out and let them know about the support we can provide. We are thrilled that we have been seeing trainings popping up and we want to support any organization to provide the best quality care possible.

We continue to receive many requests by major media outlets to interview people who are considering this option when it becomes available. This is an important way we can use the media to bring more awareness about this option. If you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and will likely be eligible to use medical aid in dying in the next 6-12 months, and you’d be willing to talk to the media either in print or on TV, please let me know. I can put you in touch with very sensitive reporters and producers who want to help share your story in a compassionate and dignified manner.

Ask Us Anything

Q: What is the definition of a “good death”?

A: A simple question with a complicated answer! A good death is different for each of us, and depends on your own wishes for your end of life treatment and care. Our mission is not to define what a good death is, but to support you to make your own definition a reality. Reach out to us if you need help!

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

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