A new website offers information and resources for individuals and families facing end-of-life challenges. It is designed as both a destination itself with answers to questions about end-of-life topics and as a directory of services in the community. The website, www.endwithcare.org, grew out of the work of the Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care and the Massachusetts Experts Panel on End of Life Care, which in 2014 came out with the report, Looking Forward: 2014 and Beyond.
Information about end-of-life care in Massachusetts
Topics addressed on the site include:
- Advance Care Planning
- Bereavement
- Complementary and Alternative Medicine
- Hospice and Palliative Care
- Organ Donation
- Pain and Symptom Management
Resources
The Resource Directory is organized by state regions and can be searched by type of service, agency or program name or particular cities and towns. These lists are growing. As an example, among the more than 130 resources listed for the MetroWest region, you will find:
- Home health care agencies
- Nursing homes
- A health care referral source for patients from sub-Sahara Africa
- The ALS and Alzheimer’s Associations Massachusetts chapters
- Hospice agencies
- The Archdiocese of Boston for pastoral care
- A long-term care pharmacy
- A camp for children who have experienced the death of close family members
The Blog
End With Care’s blog covers more timely or unusual topics, such as “Planning Your Own Funeral Service,” “Keeping Your Chin Up as a Caregiver,” “Dealing with Death During the Holiday Season,” and “Alternative Burial Options.”
The Organization and it’s Purpose
End With Care appears to have been created by its executive director, Rick Goldstone, who had previously worked with the Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care. It’s not clear from the site who else, besides him, is on the organization’s board, though the group is a non-profit and accepts tax deductible donations. Its mission is:
Through information, access and communications, End With Care will contribute to enhancing the quality of life, at the end of life.
. . .
Helping to navigate a difficult time, circumvent problems, plan for and locate resources, and make better use of the limited time remaining. We strive to provide a path for individuals and caregivers to a more positive vision and a more dignified passage through the last days of life.
Our goal is to provide a bridge between those who are in need of help and those who can provide care services and support.
The website is already an excellent start for anyone seeking information about end-of-life questions or services for anyone needing care. It will undoubtedly improve as information and services continue to be added to the site.
