What we get wrong about death

IN THE NEWS: Although everyone will experience death, it remains a difficult subject for many people to talk about.

UCI Health geriatrician and palliative care specialist Dr. Solomon Liao spoke with HuffPost about one of the biggest misconceptions people have when someone they love is dying:

“We believe that with all of our machines, technology and medications, we can determine when or even if that happens. We avoid planning for it or even talking about death, and then are shocked when it happens.”

Liao, director of Palliative Care Services at UCI Health, is board-certified in geriatric medicine, as well as hospice and palliative care. A professor in the Department of Medicine at the UCI School of Medicine, he is also the author or co-author of numerous publications on the topics of palliative care, elder abuse and geriatric pain management.

Read more:

• HuffPost: What we get wrong about death, according to end-of-life workers ›
• Easing end-of-life suffering ›