Protecting dignity at life’s end: Life Preservation Act

That moment exposed something deeply wrong in how we approach end-of-life care. Across California, families are confronted with similar heartbreak. Treatments are sometimes withheld, reduced or discontinued — not because they’ve stopped working, but because someone decided that a patient’s life no longer met a certain “quality” standard. This quiet discrimination against the elderly, disabled and vulnerable must end.

That’s why I’m proposing the Life Preservation Act — a policy to protect every patient’s right to continued care, transparency and respect.

This is not about prolonging suffering or rejecting medical judgment. It’s about honoring each person’s right to choose — the same right we uphold in every other aspect of health care.

When a patient wants to preserve life, they shouldn’t face resistance from the very institutions meant to heal. The focus should always be on compassion, respect and the patient’s own voice.

I’ve spoken with families who have experienced the same pain: their spouse’s or parents’ preferences were ignored because someone decided their time had come. These are not isolated events — they’re happening quietly, in hospitals across our state.

If you believe patients deserve the right to decide how their life ends — not a rushed or pressured decision made for them — please contact your local state legislators, including Assemblymember Marc Berman and Sen. Josh Becker, and urge them to sponsor or support my proposal — the Life Preservation Act.

Kathy Alexiou

Pacifica