Living Well at the End of Life:
A National Conversation

For the past few years, The Cambia Health Foundation has been working to improve the end-of-life experience in the Northwest. The Foundation has also been working to create opportunities for conversation around end-of-life and palliative care. As part of that effort, we've teamed up with National Journal to launch "Living Well at the End of Life: A National Conversation," a three-part polling and policy summit series dedicated to exploring the approach Americans take to the complex issues and choices that surround the final phase of life.

What have we learned?

Poll 1: Results from the first poll in March 2011 overwhelmingly show that Americans, regardless of their political affiliation, want to talk about options surrounding end-of-life and palliative care. The survey also found that more than 70% of Americans believe enhancing the quality of life – not just extending the length of it – should be a priority at the end of life.

Poll 2: The second poll, release in July 2011, focused on residents of Oregon and Washington State and how their views and approaches to end-of-life compare with Americans in other regions. Although findings showed overwhelming support for end-of-life care options among Pacific Northwesterners, it also found that questions remained among the respondents about how to access those options.

Interested in learning more? Take a look at the press releases and full poll results.

Poll 1: press release, full poll results

Poll 2: press release, full poll results