Improving Dying & Preparing for A Better End with Dan Morhaim, M.D.,

We are the first generation in history that has some say about how, when, and where we die. That empowerment allows personalized humane, compassionate, and family centered care that respects and supports people according to their own values and wishes. Dan Morhaim, M.D., is a board-certified physician in emergency and internal medicine, served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates where he was deputy majority leader and contributed to numerous health-related committees and initiatives 

• https://www.thebetterend.com/
• danmorhaim@gmail.com

Preparing for A Better End: Expert Lessons on Death and Dying for You and Your Loved Ones https://www.thebetterend.com/order-book

Improving Dying https://hospicefoundation.org/hfa-product/improving-dying-book/

This chat offered a wide-ranging, compassionate discussion about end-of-life planning, resources for advance care, and community engagement, with numerous practical tools and perspectives for participants to explore further.

• Personal Preferences for End-of-Life: Participants shared diverse wishes regarding the setting, company, and mood preferred at their time of death, highlighting desires for comfort, presence of loved ones, or peaceful solitude.

• Advance Care Planning: Repeated emphasis on the importance of advance directives, how few Americans have them, and the value of selecting an informed healthcare proxy.

• End-of-Life Resources and Tools: Exchange of information about tools, templates, and organizations helping with advance care planning and decisions at end of life.

• Supportive Community Practices: Discussions about “Death Cafes,” end-of-life doula experiences, and community programs like “Ready or Not” that encourage open conversation about mortality.

• Medical and Legal Aspects: Clarification of distinctions between DNR/POLST/MOLST forms, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), and evolving practices such as green burial and human composting.

• Ethical, Cultural, and Family Dynamics: Consideration of different views on assisted dying, influence of healthcare culture, family roles, and access inequities.

• INELDA: End-of-Life Doula training and support.
• Death Cafe: Encourages group discussion about death in supportive settings.
• Dementia addendum: Provided by Compassion & Choices for inclusion in directives.
• Polst/Molst Forms: State health department or National POLST website.
• Nurse Hadley: Hospice education on YouTube.
• Lauren’s Hope, Reminderband: Custom medical jewelry providers for “NO CPR” necklaces or bracelets.

• Advance Directives: Universal agreement on their importance for ensuring wishes are followed and reducing family stress.
• Medical Aid in Dying (MAID): Clarified legal status, eligibility, and process in various states; included perspectives both for and against.
• Community Support: Programs like Death Cafe and “Ready or Not” foster essential conversations that help normalize end-of-life preparation.
• Medical Orders and Jewelry: MOLST/POLST forms and custom medical alert jewelry (e.g., "NO CPR" necklaces) explored as ways to communicate treatment wishes.

Full video with resources and chat transcript https://www.retirementlivingsourcebook.com/videos/improving-dying-preparing-for-a-better-end-with-dan-morhaim-m-d