There are over 320,000 people receiving dialysis therapy in the United States and over 45% are over the age of 60. Despite many dialysis patients having significant co-morbid conditions that affect their care, they have a high quality of life and can be expected to enjoy extra years of life afforded by dialysis. However, this is not true for all patients. About 20% of patients withdraw from dialysis prior to death, and many die from heart disease, infections, and other causes while continuing dialysis. For these patients, end-of-life care is an important part of their treatment plan.

This website is dedicated to those patients and to all the caring staff in hospitals, dialysis units, and hospice organizations who are committed to helping patients with death, the final stage of growth.(1)

This website has been developed by the Kidney End-of-Life Coalition and is intended to be a dynamic site with links to many other websites and resources addressing end-of-life concerns. Contact us with questions; your feedback is always appreciated.

(1) DEATH, The Final Stage of Growth by Elizabeth Kubler Ross,Touchstone, 1997.

Get Involved in National Healthcare Decisions Day -- April 16, 2008

The Kidney End-of-Life Coalition, along with other national, state and community organizations, is leading a massive effort to highlight the importance of advance healthcare decision-making—an effort that has culminated in the formal designation of April 16, 2008, as the inaugural National Healthcare Decisions Day (NHDD).

Read the National Healthcare Decisions Day Press Release (PDF)

Download the NHDD Poster to display in your dialysis facility (PDF)