Basic facts about end-of-life care

FALLBROOK — We plan for weddings, the birth of a child, college and retirement. Sometimes we spend months planning for vacations. Many Americans even plan for more difficult situations by writing wills, purchasing life insurance and giving consent for organ donation.

Yet far too many people wait until they are in the midst of a healthcare crisis before determining what options are available or what care they or their loved ones would have wanted. If these plans have not been discussed, families find that a difficult situation can become even more painful.

Only 10 percent of us will die suddenl...