“It was her wish to exit this world on her own terms.”

The wooden duck that Mrs. MacNeil gave the author before her death.

Note: Some names and details have been changed to protect the privacy of individuals mentioned in this essay.

Dr. Herag Hamboyan grew up in Nova Scotia, Canada, and is the medical director of 20 senior homes in the greater Toronto area. For the past 15 years, his main focus has been caring for medically complex elderly patients, many of whom suffer from dementia. He is also passionate about providing end-of-life comfort care. 

This piece was previously published on HuffPost and is being shared again as part of HuffPost Personal’s “Best Of” series.