The Conversation (+video)

How familiar are you with your loved one's end-of-life wishes? It's an uncomfortable and at times painful talk that many don't want to face. More often than not, however, it can help alleviate heart-wrenching decisions that occur at the most difficult of times. So, have you had the conversation?

Charles Ornstein, senior health care reporter and president of the Association of Health Care Journalists, had the conversation with his aging parents, and found that talking helped his understanding of their wishes. Knowing his mother's wishes, however, did not make the choice any easier once she became ill and those life-and-death decisions became real.

Ellen Goodman, the cofounder of "The Conversation Project," talks about her initiative's goal of having end-of-life care wishes both heard and respected, and gives tips on how you can begin your own conversation with a loved one.