Truth with Kindness: Making space for the evolution of hope towards the end of life

Truth With Kindness: Making space for the evolution of hope towards the end of life

Hope is an adaptive response that allows humans to visualise and work towards creating our future, whether that is the life we will live, the things we will achieve, the experiences we will encounter, or the wellbeing and safety of the people who matter to us. Hope is not a single entity: throughout our lives, we build, modify and review our hopes in the light of our experience. Adjusting our hopes enables us to respond to what is likely and to stretch for what remains possible, whilst accepting that some hopes are unlikely to become reality.

Human hope towards the end of life is no different: hope evolves as circumstances change. Unfortunately, there are medical practices that obscure patients’ or family members’ understanding of the life-limiting nature of their disease. By avoiding discussions about limited…