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COVID-19 Creates Urgency for End-of Life Discussions Among Latinos

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Tuesday, June 16, 2020   

LAS VEGAS -- The unexpected coronavirus pandemic has created a sense of urgency around end-of-life conversations. And a new bilingual campaign aims to ensure that Mexican immigrants living in the United States are prepared to tackle the issue.

Maria Otero, national Latino constituency manager with the group Compassion & Choices, said there's more and more evidence that the coronavirus is impacting Latinos with particular force. She said the new initiative to encourage end-of-life conversations is a collaboration with the Mexican consulate.

"It really has given us the opportunity to start the conversation with our Latino/Hispanic communities, and we are being forced to talk about it and to be prepared," Otero said.

In Nevada, Latinos represent 29% of total state population but more than 31% of COVID-19 deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Experts recommend that anyone at a high risk of COVID infection complete an advance end-of-life directive. Patricia A. González-Portillo, national Latino communications and constituency director with Compassion & Choices, encouraged the public to check out the free online bilingual COVID-19 toolkit available at CompassionAndChoices.org.

"The most important thing you can do: Fill out your advance directive, because when you go to the hospital, that may be the last time that you see your family," González-Portillo said.

Otero said the Latino-Hispanic culture embraces death as a part of life, but end-of-life conversations are often avoided.

"This is not a taboo in our culture, but we don't like to talk about it," Oterro said. "But I think COVID-19 has shown what disproportionate impact has been for our community."

Earlier this month, a research company found one-third more Latino households than other households said someone in their home is experiencing coronavirus symptoms ranging from a dry cough to difficulty breathing.

Disclosure: Compassion & Choices contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Health Issues, Senior Issues, Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest, click here.


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