Autonomy and Choice Around Dying

Robb Miller has spent the past 30+ years as an activist for better end-of-life care and expanded choice. He began his career working as an athletic director and kinesiologist. After witnessing his father and long-time partner experience difficult deaths in the mid-90s, he embarked on a new career in end-of-life advocacy. He served as the Executive Director of End of Life Washington for 15 years and a Steering Committee Member on the Washington End of Life Coalition sponsored by the Washington State Medical Association. He was a key spokesperson for the passage of the Washington Death with Dignity Act in 2009. Robb has co-authored several cutting-edge advance planning documents, including the Living With Dementia Mental Health Directive and My Instructions for Oral Feeding and Drinking. Currently, Robb serves as Executive Director Emeritus of End of Life Washington and an advisory committee member for Arizona End of Life Options, End of Life Choices California, and the New Zealand Ministry of Health.

Wendy Norman is the founder of Worry-Free Wednesdays. She has been researching and engaging with end-of-life issues for over 15 years. Her interest was sparked by her mother’s diagnosis of early-onset Alzheimer’s in 2006. This is when she learned the importance of having a plan before becoming ill, especially when cognitive decline is involved.  Wanting to help others understand the value of pre-planning, she became an end-of-life planning consultant in 2017. In 2019, she left a 25-year career in marketing and program management at Microsoft to invest her time and energy toward end-of-life planning, education, and awareness. In 2020 she helped create and lead a team of volunteers to launch an education and awareness program called End of Life Ready hosted by End of Life Washington. Building on that experience, Worry-Free Wednesdays was created to broaden and deepen end-of-life education.

Presented by Town Hall Seattle and Worry Free Wednesdays.