Commonwealth Club of California Podcast

Why do so many Americans die in ways they say they don’t want, suffering and tethered to machines? When Harvard physician Dr. Angelo Volandes had trouble explaining to his dying patient the possible consequences of her treatment options, he walked her down to the ICU. She immediately understood where her decision might lead, and it changed her outlook. Since then, Dr. Volandes has created dozens of powerful videos to support advance care planning and facilitate difficult conversations about end-of-life care. His ground-breaking work has attracted support from the NIH and private foundations, and his efforts have helped thousands of clinicians, patients and families have “the conversation.” Dr. Volandes’ efforts have demonstrated the power of stories and video in helping patients make decisions that reflect their preferences and values. He has applied his approach to large health-care systems and entire states, and his work has been translated into multiple languages. His presentation will include excerpts from several videos as well as from his recent book, The Conversation: A Revolutionary Plan for End-of-Life Care.

Join author Jessica Buchleitner and contributors Silvia Vasquez Lavado (Peru), Nwe Oo (Bangladesh/Burma border), Masha Maslova(Moldova), and Boona Cheema (India) as they offer advice for our new U.S. president to tackle the most prominent issues women face globally. Will the United States take a stand to ratify the CEDAW ordinance? What will be the fate of immigrant women with children and the programs they depend on? Each contributor offers her story and unique experiences serving communities through various means.

Ariely investigates what lies at the root of motivation—how it works, misconceptions and approaches to making better decisions in our own lives.

He will describe what he says was Putin's subsequent construction of an autocracy dominated by the security services, and Russia's emergence as an aggressor state.

Bar-Joseph writes that intelligence provided by Marwan at the outset of the 1973 Yom Kippur War helped prevent the fall of the Golan Heights.

One of the most important countries in the Middle East.

She provides practical methods for combating "caregiving overwhelm" and helps you manage expectations of your loved one and yourself.

We have recently seen the publication of the first examples of the reversal of cognitive decline in early Alzheimer’s disease.

Many people especially here in the Bay Area have been shocked by the results and have been expressing a mixture of uncertainty and even fear about what comes next.

Join our distinguished panelists as they share their year-long journey toward the 2016 vineyard harvest and their commitments to environmental stewardship, social responsibility and the desire to keep land and businesses sustainable for future generations. Following the program, continue the conversation with our panel and celebrate the holidays with a tasting of their outstanding wines.