End of Life

grandparent walking with child

At some point in the future our time in this life will be limited and we will see or contemplate our final horizon. Very often in our medical system, care-as-usual does not match with a person’s best interests and personal beliefs, this is particularly true as end of life approaches and we are at our most vulnerable. Almost all of us will require the support of another individual who will make decisions and speak for us when we cannot speak for ourselves. Leaving things to chance can be dangerous. Assuming that someone (even a life-long spouse or partner) will know what we want or how to make decisions often leads to confusion, suffering and regret for the individual and the family.

You can avoid these harms for yourself and your family.
Give yourself protection and peace of mind.
Give your family or decision-maker the knowledge and skill they need to advocate on your behalf.

Dr. Duncan was of great assistance to our family over a several-year period as we dealt with quality of life issues with an aging relative. She is highly competent in medical, psychological and social work issues, as well as a very caring person. We developed a high level of trust, which in turn was very useful as the situation became more acute, and important decisions had to be made. Dr. Duncan was available 24/7 during these times. We highly recommend her services”.

G.N., Ph.D. & K.N., Bay Area, Ca.

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Lael provided remarkable support and guidance to our family as we navigated difficult conversations and decisions related to our 86-year-old mom’s challenges. A fighter, having gone through both breast and lung cancer, our mom is supported by a close family rich in experiences and comfortable with the conversation. But the difficulty of being thousands of miles away while making medical and other decisions was made only more complicated by the rich and broad care available by a number of medical doctors. Lael was able to help identify and frame decisions and conversations both detailed and ‘big picture’ to provide us the confidence to effectively advocate for the right care while also putting my mom firmly in charge of identifying what it was that she really wanted. This has helped our entire family be forward-looking as joyful as we can be rather than fearful and uncertain. Lael’s combination of medical expertise and experience and her deeply-rooted compassion provided the basis to help ask, talk, and guide us through a difficult time. Thank you, Lael

AM & DM, Corte Madera, CA