Taxes and Death… its what we can count on!

Mandi Zucker

April 15, 2026

Live How You Like, Leave How You Like

Dear Friends,

April 16th is National Healthcare Decisions Day—a date chosen with a bit of truth and humor in mind. It falls right after Tax Day because, as the saying goes, taxes and death are the only two things we can count on. While we often prepare carefully for taxes, many of us put off planning for the healthcare decisions that matter just as much.

Advance care planning isn’t just for older adults or those facing illness—it’s for all of us. In fact, studies show that a majority of adults have not completed an advance directive, leaving loved ones to make difficult decisions without clear guidance. Imagine the stress and uncertainty that can create during already emotional moments. Taking a little time now can be one of the most meaningful ways to care for the people you love.

Tonight, over dinner or during a quiet moment, consider asking this simple question: “If, all of a sudden, you weren’t able to care for yourself, who would you want to provide basic care like toileting and dressing? Who would you definitely NOT want to provide that care?” It’s not always an easy conversation, but it’s an important one. We’ve made it easier to get started—visit our website to learn more and to find advance care planning forms and resources to guide you through the process. Or download our free End of Life Binder PDF to get all of our documents in order! A small step today can bring clarity, comfort, and peace of mind for tomorrow. And for additional resources, visit theconversationproject.org.

Sincerely,
Mandi Zucker
Executive Director

Recent Events & Updates

Help us Help you!

We are fortunate to be able to provide education to many organizations around the state, thanks to volunteers and staff who live all over this state. As we prepare for the implementation of medical aid in dying, we are getting more calls from senior centers, assisted living facilities, community organizations, funeral homes, and more asking us to provide education about what this law will mean for their community. But we need your help! Here are a few things you an do to help us spread more awareness and education:

If you would like to volunteer locally to provide trainings, please reach out to us. We can provide materials and then call you when we have a need in your area.
If you are part of, or know of, an organization that could benefit from a training, please make an introduction. We would love to spread more awareness around New York!
Let us know about social media groups/pages you that we should know about. we often make great connections with social service agencies, influencers in disease-specific spaces, and professional pages as well.

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!

In-person Legacy League April 23rd from 10-11:30 AM at The Completed Life Initiative, 10 Grand Central Station (GPS address is 155 E. 44th St, New York). Join us for a no-agenda hang out to talk about death and dying. Bring your questions, worries and fears, and curiosities as we get together to demystify and de-taboo death. And don’t worry, if it gets quiet we’ll play a fun game! Register for this free event here.
Preparing for End of Life for Dummies… And You Too! April 23 at 12:00 PM. “End of life” can be a daunting, intimidating, and even scary phrase. But it doesn’t have to overwhelm you. You have the power to make decisions about your future that help secure the well-being of your loved ones and bring a sense of comfort. And that’s a great thing! Come join us for a talk with Dr. Virginia Chang of Till The Last to discuss her new book Preparing For End of Life For Dummies. In her book, Dr. Chang offers a positive and meaningful approach to end-of-life planning that helps you make the most of the time you and your loved ones are granted. Register for this free event here.
Talking About Death Won’t Kill You! April 25 from 1-4 PM. No registration required. Join us for an information fair where you can learn about advance care planning, patient rights, palliative care, hospice, funeral planning, green burial and more! In addition to End of Life Choices New York, there will be tables staffed by local organizations including Hospicare, the Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Finger Lakes, On Dying Well, and Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve. There will also be mini-talks (10-15 minutes) on each topic starting at 2:00 in the Sanctuary next to the event space. Refreshments will be provided. First Unitarian Society of Ithaca, 306 N. Aurora St, Ithaca.
How We Love: A family’s Journey Through Medical Aid in Dying. April 28 from 6:30-8:30 PM online. Join End of Life Choices New York (EOLCNY) as we share the story of a family whose father utilized MAiD and how this option at the end of his life made for beautiful moments together. Following this presentation, EOLCNY will share MAiD implementation updates for New York State. Register for this free event here.
End of Life Binder Making. May 6, 1200-1:30 PM on zoom. Essentials: Emergency and End of Life Binder is a customizable collection of documents that serves as a guide to making your wishes and values known for emergency situations and the end of your life. This collection is intended to provide a stronger sense of security for yourself and an ease of transition for the loved ones and caretakers around you. Register for this free event here.
Epitaphing: Living, Dying and Dementia. May 8, 1:30-2:30 PM on zoom. Join Wally Klatch, a man living with Dementia, as he talks about writing your own epitaph. He will share why writing his own epitaph has helped him come to terms with dying. Register for this free event here.
Long Island Fundraiser. May 14 at 6:30. Help us celebrate the monumental achievement of passing Medical Aid in Dying in NY, and support our efforts for a smooth implementation. The event is free to attend. Donations accepted with registration or at the event. Register here.

Update on Medical Aid in Dying Implementation

Our work continues with the implementation of medical aid in dying. We have been meeting with a steady stream of medical organizations that are interested in learning more about providing this support. And even those facilities that are not interested in providing direct care are reaching out asking how to make appropriate referrals, which is incredibly important. We know everyone will not feel comfortable providing this care. And thats OK! We just want to make sure even these clinicians understand how to assist patients in finding the right kind of support.

We continue to speak to patients who are interested in considering medical aid in dying and have already begun connecting them to physicians to pre-plan as much as they can which receiving quality care. We have also been able to connect patients with family members of people who used medical aid in dying in other states, so they can begin to learn what the process was generally like (although it will be slightly different one each state) and ask questions that only family and friends who be able to answer. We are honored to be able to coordinate this part of the process. If you are in need, please reach out to us! If you are a clinician of any sort (doctor, nurse, social worker, chaplain, volunteer, doula, or hospital/hospice system), please complete this survey. The answers to this survey will not be made public but will allow us to reach out to you to offer you the opportunity to connect with patients based on their needs.

Please continue to share the flyer highlighting our partnership with the Academy of Aid-in-Dying Medicine with anyone you think could benefit from resources and education. Together with The Academy, we are your go-to source for all things related to the implementation of excellent aid-in-dying care. Please reach out to us with questions, concerns and needs.

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: Death is such a sad topic. Why can’t I leave this to my family to worry about after I am gone?

A: Avoiding end-of-life planning doesn’t remove the burden—it shifts it onto your family and friends, who may be left making difficult decisions without knowing your wishes, often during a time of stress and grief. Planning ahead gives you control over what matters to you and helps prevent confusion, conflict, or guilt for the people you care about. It’s a way of making things easier for them, even if it’s uncomfortable for you now. In fact, talking about death has been shown to improve the quality of your life. Check out this article to learn more.

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

Stay Connected

Get latest news and updates from End of Life Choices New York in your inbox.

By subscribing to our newsletter, you agree to the information highlighted in our Privacy Policy.