The nurse believes this insight can help people both live better and die better.
Death, it’s the ultimate elephant in the room.
As a species, we’ve sent people to the moon, built phones that connect us across the globe, and even created artificial intelligence. Yet, despite all our advancements, we still can’t escape the reality of our own mortality.
For many, the thought of being gone while the world keeps turning is unsettling, if not outright terrifying.
But if the idea of your inevitable end makes you uneasy, a hospice nurse recently shared one key insight about death, one that might just help you live a more meaningful and fulfilling life.
Hospice nurse Julie McFadden has created a platform dedicated to educating people about death and what to expect as they or their loved ones approach their final days.
According to McFadden, there are several common experiences people go through in the final stages of life, including shared regrets, the phenomenon of terminal lucidity, and even ‘visions’ of deceased loved ones.
Speaking on Dr. Karan Rajan’s podcast, McFadden reflected on her work as an end-of-life carer, explaining why she believes people need to have more open conversations about mortality. She also shared what she wishes everyone knew about death.
“Talking about death will not make you die any sooner,” she said, emphasizing that discussing it openly can help people both live and die better.
She continued, “Hospice isn’t about death, it’s about life. I know that may sound cliché, but I truly mean it. It’s about living.”
The conversation then turned to how cultural attitudes toward death have shifted over time, with both acknowledging how modern societies have increasingly treated the topic as ‘taboo’.
McFadden pointed out that while medical advancements have extended human lifespans, they have also distanced people from the reality of death, making it harder to come to terms with.
“People used to die at home, with their families caring for them,”* she explained. *”It was more present in everyday life. Caring for the dying was a personal responsibility, rather than something handed over to hospitals.”
She continued, “[Death] should be an open conversation. It takes time to get used to, but normalizing it could help us feel more comfortable with the reality of dying.”
