Uploaded October 2022 | Updated September 2026, 15 hours ago
Conversations about death and dying between physicians and patients or patients and loved ones are difficult but important. Dr. Jillian Tullis, a professor in Communication at the University of San Diego, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why these conversations are important to dying well, some tools for starting the conversation (especially with loved ones who may be resistant to the topic), and some important things to consider when inquiring about someone’s wishes. They also discuss how COVID-19 created an “accumulation of death experiences” that may influence how our society thinks about grief, bereavement, and “a good death” going forward.
Conversations about death and dying between physicians and patients or patients and loved ones are difficult but important. Dr. Jillian Tullis, a professor in Communication at the University of San Diego, talks with Lindsay Smith Rogers about why these conversations are important to dying well, some tools for starting the conversation (especially with loved ones who may be resistant to the topic), and some important things to consider when inquiring about someone’s wishes. They also discuss how COVID-19 created an “accumulation of death experiences” that may influence how our society thinks about grief, bereavement, and “a good death” going forward.
