What really matters at the end of life
17,097,664 views |
BJ Miller |
TED2015
• March 2015
At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it's simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a hospice and palliative medicine physician who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life.
At the end of our lives, what do we most wish for? For many, it's simply comfort, respect, love. BJ Miller is a hospice and palliative medicine physician who thinks deeply about how to create a dignified, graceful end of life for his patients. Take the time to savor this moving talk, which asks big questions about how we think on death and honor life.
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.
About the speaker
Using empathy and a clear-eyed view of mortality, BJ Miller shines a light on health care's most ignored facet: preparing for death.
Philippe Ariès | Vintage Books, 2008 | Book
Marcus Aurelius | Dover Publications, 1997 | Book
Claire Bidwell Smith | Avery, 2015 | Book
Medard Boss | Jason Aronson, Inc., 1977 | Book
Esther Lucille Brown | Russell Sage Foundation, 1961 | Book
Dr. Ira Byock | Atria, 2014 | Book
Dr. Ira Byock | Avery, 2013 | Book
Dr. Ira Byock | Riverhead Books, 1998 | Book
Le Corbusier | Getty Research Institute, 2007 | Book
John Dewey | Perigee Books, 2005 | Book
Jo Anne L. Earp et al. | Jones & Bartlett Learning, 2007 | Book
Herman Feifel | McGraw Hill, 1959 | Book
Sukey Forbes | Penguin Books, 2015 | Book
Susan Frampton and Patrick Charmel | Jossey-Bass, 2008 | Book
Susan Frampton et al. | Planetree, Inc. and Picker Institute, 2008 | Book
Atul Gawande | Metropolitan Books, 2014 | Book
Stanislav Grof | Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, 2006 | Book
Sanjay Gupta | Grand Central Life & Style, 2009 | Book
Sanjay Gupta | Wellness Central, 2007 | Book
Charles Jencks | Frances Lincoln, 2015 | Book
Immanuel Kant | Cambridge University Press, 2001 | Book
Rachel Kaplan and Stephen Kaplan | Cambridge University Press, 1989 | Book
Judith Redwing Keyssar | CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2010 | Book
Florence Nightingale | Wilder Publications, 2007 | Book
Sherwin B. Nuland | Vintage, 1995 | Book
George Soros | Open Society Institute, 2004 | Book
Leo Tolstoy | Bantam Dell, 1981 | Book
Stephen F. Verdeber and Ben J. Refuerzo | Taylor & Francis, 2006 | Book
Ken Worpole | Routledge, 2009 | Book
Lo-Yi Chan | AIA Journal American Institute of Architects, December, 1976 | Article
Michel de Montaigne | Article
Michael Rossato-Bennett | Ximotion Media, 2013 | Watch
Michael Stillwater and Gary Remal Malkin | New World Library, 2006 | Listen
Through words and music, this beautifully designed set offers a renewal of faith to anyone struggling with grief. The book's heartfelt words, from some of the world's greatest visionary leaders, are set to original soul-stirring music, creating an atmosphere of relaxation, insight, and healing. Created by the cofounders of the Companion Arts Foundation, Graceful Passages addresses themes of letting go, closure, expressing love, forgiveness, appreciation of life and continuity of spirit from different perspectives and faith traditions. Catholic, Protestant and Jewish clergy are represented as well as Native American, Confucian and Buddhist voices, creating a truly multi-faith resource. A compelling musical score, created by a pioneering healing music artist and award-winning composer, lovely still-life photographs and elegant design create a gentle invitation for the reader and listener to reflect upon what matters most in life.
| Explore
HealthCare Chaplaincy Network (HCCN) is a 501(c)3 national health care nonprofit organization that offers spiritual-related information and resources, and professional chaplaincy services in hospitals, other health care settings, and online.
Dr. Christina M. Puchalski et al. | Explore
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization | Explore
UCSF Symptom Management Service | Explore
The SMS Notes Project at UCSF aims to help people with serious illness to record their thoughts, to share their stories and to reflect on their memories and relationships.
Learn more
This talk was presented at an official TED conference. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.