We’re making it too hard to have a ‘good’ death

More and more Americans say they want a “good” death, which usually means dying peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones. Documents called advance directives can help them achieve that goal by increasing the chances that the care they receive near life’s end aligns with their goals and values. Unfortunately, advance directives have been mired by legalities that limit their utility and even discourage their use. It’s time for that to change.

Although most Americans say they prefer to when they’re near death, aggressive treatment remains the norm in American health care. In the last month of life, half of all Medicare patients , one-third are admitted to , and many . Ironically, this disconnect between what people want and what they often get is facilitated by well-meaning but misguided laws governing the completion of advance directives.