What does it mean to have a “good death”? That question will take center stage at VillagesOKC’s next free Positive Aging seminar led by Dr. Steven A. Drabek, a longtime hospice and family medicine physician. The program will be held Tuesday, Nov. 12, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Metro Technology Centers Conference Center, 1900 Springlake Drive in Oklahoma City.
Dr. Drabek brings more than 35 years of hospice experience and four decades of medical practice to this deeply human topic. His journey began in 1987, shortly after surviving esophageal cancer at just 30 years old. That life-altering experience shaped his understanding of pain, suffering, and compassion in medicine. When he began practicing in 1990, hospice care was virtually unknown in Oklahoma City. He joined one of the area’s first two hospices, learning from dedicated hospice nurses and becoming a pioneer in medical pain management at the end of life.
Through his work, Dr. Drabek became what he calls a “Comfortologist”—a physician devoted to treating the whole person, not just their symptoms. Drawing on both professional and personal experience with chronic pain, he has helped countless patients and families navigate life’s most difficult transition with dignity, empathy, and grace.
In his seminar, Dr. Drabek will discuss the concept of a “good death”—a reality that can be difficult to face yet offers the possibility of peace and meaning. He will share personal reflections and stories from decades of caring for patients at the end of life, exploring what it means to live—and die—well.
He will also explain the fundamentals of hospice care, a Medicare benefit created in 1983 to provide comfort-focused care for those nearing life’s end. About 98% of hospice services take place in the patient’s home, supported by a dedicated interdisciplinary team that may include nurses, social workers, chaplains, aides, physicians, and volunteers.
“Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz was correct,” Dr. Drabek notes. “There is no place like home.”
Dr. Drabek’s book, The Comfortologist: A Physician’s Empathetic Perspective on Compassion, Caring, and Pain Relief, expands on many of these themes. His Positive Aging presentation promises to be a heartfelt exploration of courage, compassion, and the final gift of comfort at life’s end.
Registration is open at https://villagesokc.org/positive-aging, or by calling (405) 990-6637.