Without Hospice, Who Gets To Die In The Big Bend?

There is a shortage of care for seniors near the end of life, and for those who need assisted-living services.

By Sally BeauvaisJanuary 2, 2019 9:30 am, , ,

From Marfa Public Radio:

More than a fifth of the people who call the vast Big Bend region of West Texas home are 65 or older, according to census data from 2016. And many of them, at one point or another, will have to leave to seek health care.

Marfa resident Suzanne Dungan says as she loses more and more friends and relatives in the area, it makes her sad to realize that many aren’t getting the help they need at the end of their lives.

Dungan lost her husband in January of 2018, after a battle with dementia and prostate cancer. And they traveled almost 500 miles away to give him a comfortable end of life.

Read more. 

Support for Texas Standard’s ”Spotlight on Health” project is provided by St. David’s Foundation.