‘Let’s talk’: How to help families have difficult conversations

‘Let’s talk’: How to help families have difficult conversations 
Yale Medicine; by Carrie Macmillan; 6/10/25 
At a time when modern medicine is allowing people to enjoy longer, fuller lives, mortality is not always a chief concern. But when a serious illness occurs, the topic becomes unavoidable. This became especially clear during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals were overrun with patients, many with grim prognoses. “The pandemic gave all of us a sense that life can be short and there’s the very real possibility of dying,” says Jennifer Kapo, MD, director of the Palliative Care Program at Yale New Haven Hospital. “It opened the door for us to talk more about death and have a better sense of our mortality.” ...

• How does palliative care differ from hospice care? ...
• How is palliative care broached with patients? ...
• What are the benefits of palliative care? ...