Ruth Palombo, PhD RD¹, Margaret Ann Metzger, JD¹, and John A. Fromson, MD². (1) Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care, 250 Washington St, Boston, MA 02108, 617-624-5424, ruth.palombo@state.ma.us, (2) Massachusetts Medical Society, 860 Winter Street, Waltham, MA 02451

More than two million deaths occur in America every year, 56,000 of them in Massachusetts. However, people are often unwilling to think about or document their own preferences and goals with respect to care at the end of life.

The Massachusetts Commission on End of Life Care, a legislative Commission whose mission is to improve the quality of life at the end of life, developed a Web site and resource guide to help people find information regarding end of life issues. The Web site is the first of its kind in Massachusetts and has over 10,000 user sessions per month. A comprehensive survey mailed to 600+ agencies and organizations throughout Massachusetts was used to gather data for the Web-site and on-line Guide. Individuals, their families, caregivers and health care professionals can now be linked with end of life resources and services in their local communities.

Listed services and resources include specialized medical care, hospice, palliative care for pain and symptom management, support services for caregivers, financial planning, legal services, advance care planning, funeral arrangements, and grief and bereavement support. The methodology used to develop the Guide as well as an evaluation of the usefulness of the Guide will be presented. This Web site and on-line guide is a model for other states considering a cost effective way to reach their citizens on end of life issues, and a vehicle to promote better planning for end of life care and encourage conversations about end of life decision-making. .

Learning Objectives:

• Participants will learn a methodology for developing resource guide on end of life care.
• Participants will learn how a statewide Web site and resource guide can be used to encourage conversations about end of life decision-making and promote better planning for end of life care.

Keywords: End-of-Life Care, Death

Related Web page: www.endoflifecommission.org

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.