In 2010, three well-known entertainers joined a publicity campaign to remind people that if they want a dignified death, they need to plan ahead and make clear whether or not they are willing to undergo invasive emergency treatment such as CPR or intubation. (courtesy of the Hospice Foundation of Taiwan

Watching loved ones gradually passing away-how sad and unwilling the separation will be. Yet most of us will have to face this issue at some time in our lives.

When looking after a terminally ill loved one, every decision that needs to be made will be difficult, but they are all critical choices that must often be made on the spot.

If we agree that a dignified death means allowing end-of-life patients to pass away peacefully, it also carries the implication that family members need to let their loved ones go when the time demands-then go ahead and live their own lives.

"When a family experiences its first terminally ill patient, they often have no idea of how to deal with the situation," says Ah-mei, who experienced the pain of losing her father two years ago. He contracted liver cancer, and from learning the bad news until his death was only seven months. "Death can come surprisingly quickly!"