Something to Think About

When a dying parent refuses to tell the rest of the family about a terminal diagnosis,  should you keep the secret or encourage open conversations?

Most people don't know what to do or can do in the final hours before death. Here are gentle ways families and caregivers can create a meaningful goodbye and bring...

Caregivers are often alone when caring for someone who is dying. Written guidance can provide reassurance and support when it is needed most.

Food becomes a major concern for families when special person is dying. This article explains why the body naturally stops eating and how caregivers can respond with less frustration.

Grief is not one feeling—it is many. If what you are feeling seems confusing or overwhelming, you are not alone. This is how grief works.

Physicians are often asked how long someone has to live, but the truth is no one can predict an exact timeline. Dying follows a natural process with recognizable signs that...

Hospice volunteers are at the heart of end-of-life care—but their role goes far beyond what most people understand. Let's look at what draws people to this work, why self-awareness matters,...

Most of us don’t think about healthcare decisions until something is wrong. But in crisis, emotions take over and clear thinking becomes difficult. Planning ahead—through an advance directive and sharing...

Hospice and palliative care are not the same—and understanding that difference matters. If the goal is comfort and a natural death, certain medical interventions no longer fit. Let’s talk about...

Sometimes the question is not how long we can live, but how we want to live with the time we have.

Grief doesn’t follow a timeline or a set of stages. If you’ve ever questioned your feelings after a loss, you’re not alone—and nothing you’re feeling is wrong.

Those of us who work in end-of-life care walk beside people and families during one of the most intimate times of life. Because of the emotional nature of this work,...

Sounds, restlessness, and physical changes can be unsettling to witness, but they usually don't mean there is suffering. Understanding what is normal can ease fear for those keeping vigil.

Sudden death does not follow the usual patterns of dying. One moment a person is alive, and the next they are gone. There is no preparation, no final words, no...

Eating less. Sleeping more. Turning inward. What if this is the quiet work of old age?

Hospice volunteers do intimate work at the bedside.Preparing them for that role requires education and clear boundaries.

A reflection on the quiet, often overlooked work of grief—learning how to live as a “me” instead of a “we.” Through the story of “Pajama Sunday,” I share how new...

Years ago, a 3 a.m. hospice call changed the way I thought about caring for families at the bedside.It led me to write down what I wanted families to know...

We educate families about the dying process, but too often no one is there when death actually happens...

Just as there are short labors and long labors in birth, there are short and long transitions at the end of life. Recognizing these parallels can help families worry less...

When I was 17, I was told to sit with a dying patient — alone. I didn’t know then how profoundly that moment would shape my life’s work...