Compassion & Choices

Compassion & Choices is an American non-profit organization that advocates for end-of-life care options, including palliative care, hospice care, and medical aid in dying. The organization focuses on expanding options for those at the end of life, ensuring individuals have the right to a peaceful death according to their own wishes, and promoting policies and practices that allow for a dignified end-of-life experience.

History

Compassion & Choices was formed through the merger of two organizations: Compassion in Dying, founded in the early 1990s, and End of Life Choices, which was previously known as the Hemlock Society. The merger in 2005 created a single entity that combined advocacy, education, and support for individuals facing the end of their lives. The organization has been at the forefront of legislative and legal efforts to allow terminally ill individuals the option of medical aid in dying in the United States.

Mission and Advocacy

The mission of Compassion & Choices is to empower people to make informed decisions about their end-of-life care and to advocate for policies that ensure a compassionate and dignified death. The organization's advocacy work includes supporting legislation for medical aid in dying across the United States, providing legal assistance to protect and expand end-of-life care options, and educating healthcare professionals and the public about advance care planning.

Programs and Services

Compassion & Choices offers a variety of programs and services aimed at supporting individuals at the end of life, including:

• Advance Care Planning: Assisting individuals in making decisions about their end-of-life care and completing advance directives.
• End-of-Life Consultation: Providing information and support to individuals and families navigating end-of-life decisions.
• Legal Advocacy: Working to protect and expand end-of-life care options through legal action and policy advocacy.
• Public Education: Conducting outreach to raise awareness about end-of-life care options and the importance of advance care planning.

Legislative Efforts

Compassion & Choices has been instrumental in the passage of medical aid in dying laws in several states, including Oregon, California, Colorado, and New Jersey. The organization continues to support legislative efforts across the country to allow terminally ill individuals the right to choose how they die, with safeguards in place to protect vulnerable populations.

Controversies and Criticism

The work of Compassion & Choices has not been without controversy. Critics argue that medical aid in dying could lead to coercion of vulnerable individuals and that it undermines the traditional role of medicine to heal and save lives. Compassion & Choices maintains that their advocacy is focused on providing choice and control to those at the end of life, with strict safeguards to prevent abuse.

See Also

• Palliative care
• Hospice care
• Advance healthcare directive
• Right to die