The United States is a resource-rich country with the most advanced medical care and health care delivery systems in the world. In spite of this, funding from public and private sources to advance and sustain end-of-life systems of care remains wholly insufficient to address the ever-growing needs of our aging population. Many in this country still die without the support they need to end their lives well, and care and cost management systems still are not optimized to support end of life as well as they might.
But there is cause for hope: a growing group of stakeholders are coming together to develop effective approaches that leverage community engagement, optimize resources and care systems, and – most importantly – preserve and honor the dignity and self-determination of the individual. Clinicians, legal experts, caregivers, policy makers, private funders, spiritual leaders, artists and the media are informing this dialogue and related efforts to develop effective and accessible solutions.
In 2018, NCG is convening a series of conversations and learning opportunities for funders interested in exploring the opportunity to engage and advance innovation in end of life care. Our aim is to enhance knowledge, coordinate learning, align efforts, and identify opportunities for collaborative approaches, and – potentially – to build a movement for engagement in end of life issues.
In the coming months, NCG will invite our members and other key stakeholders to join us in conversations, programs, and meetings about possibilities in this space.
Every one of us has a professional – and a personal – stake in getting this right. We invite you to join us in what promises to be a rich exploration and dialogue.