Photo: GABRIEL BOUYS / AFP / Getty Images
For: By Antonio Tijerino and Dra. Yanira Cruz Updated 24 May 2022, 6: 55 am EDT
As leaders of national organizations that support the Latino community, we work hard to improve the lives of our people and the systemic inequities in health care that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
Memorial Day or Memorial Day, it is a good time to get together as a family, to have those talks difficult but very important, about the medical care options we want at the end of our lives.
The number of disproportionate deaths and disparities in care among Latinos that have emerged during the pandemic have made these conversations more urgent and how should we prepare for death.
Hispanics lack access to care equitable end-of-life or culturally appropriate information in Spanish, the language most preferred by our people.
For this reason, Fundación Herencia Hispana (HHF) and the National Hispanic Council for Older Adults (NHCOA) have joined Compassion & Choices, to inform, engage and raise awareness about the importance of end-of-life planning.
Deaths from COVID
The pandemic COVID-191233644339 disproportionately increased mortality among Latinos, African Americans, and Native Americans, according to a study published by the Annals of Internal Medicine.
Latino deaths were two to three times higher, compared to whites, according to n the studio.
As Latinos, our grieving process can be more complicated, due to cultural norms that do not always encourage the way to express a emotional pain. This is especially the case among immigrants, many of them, who are just trying to survive by navigating the troubled waters of life in the United States.
Our Latino culture is based on family dynamics and our faith. In fact, the pandemic has taught us to better understand the grieving process, due to the disproportionate number of deaths among Latinos and other underserved communities.
End-of-Life care talks
Our Decision-making is based on the family, on our commitment, our loyalty, our respect and in the care of our beloved ones.
However, Latinos are the least likely community to complete directives advance health care, or to talk with our loved ones, under what circumstances, if any, we want or do not receive medical interventions that prolong our dying process.
Latinos are also less likely than whites to use palliative care or hospice, as they are known in the United States, even though there is evidence that the need may be greater among the Latino community, according to a report published by the American Hospice Association. hospice care is designed to help terminally ill people have the best possible death.
Disparities in health care
Physicians and other health providers should engage in end-of-life talks with their patients. Unfortunately, many physicians are uncomfortable discussing terminal illness and death with their patients. This is particularly true when the patient is of a different race or ethnic group than the doctor.
We call on you urgent to read the Tool Set: My Decisions at the End of Life, available in Spanish and English. This tool can help you discuss your personal wishes with your family, your doctors and your friends.
Cultural change
It is time to unite to make a cultural change that allows us to have these difficult , but end-of-life talks are necessary.
We must take advantage of the closeness with our families on these holidays such as Memorial Day, to discuss in advance what we want for the end of our lives.
We have to talk with our doctors if we want or not to be kept alive with aggressive medical treatments.
We must honor the last wishes of our loved ones, whether we are or not according to that decision.
The power is in our hands.
It’s ours responsibility to create the change.
It is our responsibility and that of our family.
Now is the best time to do it .
Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of the Fundación Herencia Hispana, is a non-profit organization that focuses on the education, workforce, links, social impact and public awareness. The organization was established by the White House in 1988.
The Dr. Yanira Cruz, president and executive director of The National Hispanic Council on Older Adults (NHCOA), the leading national organization working to improve the lives of Hispanic older adults, their families and their caregivers.