If you follow the work of the Minnesota state legislature, you noticed the recent commotion over medical assistance in dying — a legislative effort to offer medical help to terminally ill people in ending their lives. The legislation appears to be going nowhere this year, but it did result in an airing of the options in Minnesota currently available to those with painful conditions that sap them of their desire to live.

The business of dying can be especially confounding for those with limited English and various cultural assumptions. For a series of translated materials that explain hospice and palliative care in Hmong, Spanish and Somali, take a look at resources compiled by the Minnesota Network of Hospice and Palliative Care. The group seeks to raise awareness about cultural values that surround caring for those nearing the end of their lives. 

Among the topics:

• Three Components of Hospice Care
• Advance Care Planning
• Portable Medical Orders
• Hospice Care FAQ
• Palliative Care in Minnesota FAQ
• Choosing Hospice Consumer Guide

Find these translated print materials here.