Parkinson's and End of Life: An Honest Conversation

In this video, Dr. Benzi Kluger, a leader in neuropalliative care, addresses some of the most common and challenging questions that people with Parkinson’s and their families have about the end of life. With honesty and thoughtful care, Dr. Kluger explores topics that are often left unspoken, including fears about dying, how Parkinson’s affects life expectancy, and what dying with Parkinson's tends to involve. This video was created from an interview conducted by Polly Dawkins, Executive Director of the Davis Phinney Foundation, and was inspired by a talk Dr. Kluger gave at an in‑person Davis Phinney Foundation event in 2025. LINKS TO RESOURCES REFERENCED BY DR. KLUGER: The Total Enjoyment of Life: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles... The Four Things that Matter Most: https://www.publishersweekly.com/9780... The Five Invitations: https://fiveinvitations.com/about-fra... An article that Benzi co-authored about Mortality in Parkinson's: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles... SPEAKER BIO: Benzi Kluger, MD, MS, FAAN is a professor of neurology and medicine, and Director of the Palliative Care Research Center and Neuropalliative Care Division at the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York. In addition to seeing patients in neurology supportive and palliative care clinics and via telemedicine, he directs an active research program working towards improving therapies for non-motor symptoms and improving standards of care for patients and caregivers through supportive and palliative care models. Dr. Kluger completed his undergraduate degree in psychology, medical school and neurology residency at the University of Colorado, and fellowships in movement disorders and behavioral neurology at the University of Florida. He was a professor at the University of Colorado from 2008 to 2019, where he set up one of the first neuropalliative care programs in the US. Learn more about Dr. Kluger and find additional resources here: https://www.benzikluger.org/ 0:00 Intro 1:01 Before We Begin 1:44 Why Is the Topic of Mortality Important for People with Parkinson's? 3:36 Why Is the Misconception "You Don't Die of Parkinson's" Dangerous? 5:02 What Does It Mean to Have a "Good Death"? 7:33 What Can People and Families Living with Parkinson's Do to Prepare? 10:20 What Are Some of the Fears People Have About Death and Parkinson's? 12:00 What Does Dying with Parkinson's Actually Look Like? 16:42 What Are Advance Directives, and Why Do They Matter? 20:07 What Is the Life Expectancy After a Parkinson's Diagnosis? 22:41 What Are Your Thoughts on Medical Aid in Dying? 25:42 End Davis Phinney Foundation, Copyright 2026