The Dignity Assurance Act

The Dignity Assurance Act established a national framework for supporting Americans in their later years, and for guiding families through end-of-life decisions with structure, oversight, and compassion.

Activation at seventy-five

When an American reaches the age of seventy-five, they are welcomed into the program. A packet arrives by mail. There is nothing to sign up for and nothing to fear: activation simply means that the Commission now walks alongside the family, providing regular check-ins on wellbeing and a clear, gentle path for whatever the years ahead may bring.

The Compassion Companion

At activation, the Commission designates a Compassion Companion for each participant. The Companion is, by the Act’s design, an in-law — a spouse of the participant’s child. The logic is simple and, we believe, wise: the Companion is close enough to know the person, and far enough to see them clearly, without the ache that can cloud a child’s judgment.

The Companion receives a secure sixteen-digit code and access to the Companion Portal, where they can view assessment results, keep an Observation Log, and — when the time comes — begin the process. Where a family wishes, a co-Companion may also be designated.

The Clarity Assessment

Every six months after activation, the participant takes a brief, AI-scored Clarity Review at home — a twenty-minute cognitive panel on a tablet at the kitchen table. Periodically, an in-person Clarity Assessment at a Regional Center confirms the remote results with a trained human observer:

• Every two years — if the remote numbers are stable.
• Every twelve months — if decline is mild.
• Every six months, sometimes tighter — if the line is really moving.

Both measure cognitive functioning across twelve axes. The result is a single composite score, weighted against the participant’s own baseline. Try the practice assessment ›

Above and below threshold

There is no single passing grade. The composite tells a story, but the lines that matter are absolute:

• Any single axis below fifty triggers a formal review.
• Three or more axes below fifty, and the participant is below threshold.

A participant above threshold is, in the Commission’s language, still themselves — still on the right side of the line. When a participant falls below threshold, the family enters the Grace Period.

The Grace Period

The Grace Period is ninety days. During this window, the primary Compassion Companion may initiate the Compassionate Transition through the portal, at a time of the family’s choosing. Nothing is rushed. Counseling and guidance are available at every step.

If the Companion does not initiate within ninety days, the Dignity Commission assumes responsibility.