Our Issues

Compassion & Choices leads efforts to authorize, implement and protect medical aid in dying so all eligible terminally ill people have access to the full range of end-of-life options.

Compassion & Choices is working in partnership with our Leadership Councils and partner organizations to address inequities in end-of-life care and planning.

We’re working to transform how people die with dementia to ensure people are aware, empowered and supported in getting the care they want – or don’t want – should dementia take hold.

We will transform care by advancing and promoting the integration of palliative care in emergency settings.

We’re working to raise awareness about the option of voluntarily stopping eating and drinking for decisionally-capable adults who would like to reduce the length of time they suffer from any terminal disease, including progressive diseases such as dementia.

We helped legitimize palliative sedation as a recognized medical practice by advancing the court case that recognized dying patients have a constitutional right to receive as much pain medication as necessary, even if it advances the time of death.

Compassion & Choices is working to raise awareness about and improve access to palliative care through public education and federal policy change.

Hospice care directly aligns with our mission of improving care and empowering everybody to chart their own end-of-life journey.

We help people and providers initiate open, honest conversations, memorialize their wishes in advance directives, and become strong advocates for themselves and their loved ones while at the same time advancing federal policy solutions to improve the enforceability and access to advance directives.

We’re raising awareness about the benefits and burdens of different treatment options, protecting our rights to decline medical treatments, and advancing policies so patients can make fully informed decisions about the care they want – and don’t want.

Compassion & Choices works in states, through courts, and at the federal level to prevent healthcare entities from disregarding patient values and preferences and restricting end-of-life care based on an institution’s ethical and religious policies and directives.