Coda Alliance : The Final Passages of Life

The usual course of the end of life follows one of three paths:

1. Some people have a new serious illness followed by a few weeks or months of being "terminally ill".
2. Some people live for years with daily disability and disease, with episodes of serious complications, but one of these complications turns out to be fatal.
3. Others live through a long period of total disability and dependance, such as from dementia or strokes, before dying.

Whatever the final passages of life, Coda's goals for care improvement are relief of pain and suffering, anticipation of complications, attention to personal values and preferences, caregiver support, spiritual peace, life closure, and culturally sensitive preparation for death. Coda Alliance is dedicated to promoting education and healthcare system change in Santa Clara County so that care for all three groups can achieve these goals, even for patients who are simultaneously seeking treatments to give them a longer life span.

An organization focusing on end-of-life care at the national level is Growth House, Inc..