We share the mission of The Conversation Project to help people share their wishes for care through the end of life.
About The Conversation Project in Boulder County
The Conversation Project in Boulder County is a program of TRU Community Care that uses a variety of advance care planning tools. The Conversation Project is a national non-profit organization and is separate from the work done in Boulder County. Some of the tools we use are from the National Conversation Project. If you are looking for the national website, find it at:
The Conversation Project began in 2010 when Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ellen Goodman and a group of colleagues and concerned media, clergy, and medical professionals gathered to share stories of “good deaths” and “hard deaths” within their own circle of loved ones.
Goodman founded the nonprofit after serving as caregiver to her mother with Alzheimer’s disease for many years. She and her mother had never discussed end-of-life care, but in the end the care decisions fell to Ellen.
“I realized only after her death how much easier it would have all been if I heard her voice in my ear as these decisions had to be made,” she recalls.
Inspired by Goodman’s work, The Conversation Project in Boulder County formed in 2013.
Why is it Important?
92% of Americans say that it is important to have end-of-life conversations, but only 32% have actually had them. If loved ones don’t know what matters most to you, they are left with the distress of guessing and uncertainty at an already difficult time. Starting end-of-life conversations is never easy – but families and health care professionals report feelings of relief when the subject is addressed. Advance care planning and the conversation can help ensure that your end-of-life wishes are heard and respected.
What we provide:
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- Free confidential Coaching for individuals and families who want help having a conversation about quality of life, future medical care, and assistance with filling out a Medical Durable Power of Attorney
- Speakers for large and small community groups
- Workshops and seminars open to the public, providing education around the importance of appointing an informed medical decision-maker
- Training for professionals and lay people about Advance Care Planning