Why Now? Timing and Circumstances of Hastened Deaths

We interviewed 35 families to understand the timing and circumstances of hastened deaths. We estimated life expectancy for the 26 patients who hastened their deaths and used content analysis to identify patterns in their decisions. On average, patients had lived with their illness for 2.5 years and had actively planned their deaths for 3 months. Those with less than a week to live (n = 10) were 'dying and done,' having experienced a final functional loss that signaled the end. Those with <1 month (n = 8) were 'dying, but not fast enough.' Those with 1-6 months (n = 5) saw a 'looming crisis' on their horizon that would prohibit following through with their plans. The 3 patients with >6 months were 'not recognized by others as dying, but suffering just the same.' Clinicians should regularly assess where patients perceive they are in the dying process and ask about their comfort with the pace of dying to identify opportunities for intervention.