Something to Think About

As death approaches, focusing on blood pressure numbers and other vitals is one more unnecessary intrusion for the patient and unnecessary...

Barbara explains the similarity between the dying process and the birthing process. And why she says, "People don't die like they do in the movies"  Listen to this wonderful episode.

If there's one thing Barbara would want every family to understand — one sentence she'd leave behind — it's this:  90% of end-of-life care is about knowledge. It's about educating...

What can be done for patients who feel abandoned after being told that the treatments are no longer working and they are "terminal"? 

In end of life care, all the attention focuses on the person who is dying. We also need to give support to the family caregiver, the "unsung hero".

What are the three signs that let caregivers know their special person is appropriate for hospice care?

Barbara Karnes, RN, award-winning end-of-life educator and hospice nurse, explains what hospice is and the support it provides to a person with a life-limiting diagnosis and their family in her...

Kimberly Mann and Kim Crabill of Hospice of Southern Maine talk with Barbara Karnes about how death doulas work alongside hospice teams to support patients and families at end of...

In Part Two of our conversation with End of Life Educator and Hospice Pioneer Barbara Karnes, unpacks what really happens in thefinal days of life—and why so many families feel...

From the importance of guiding families through fear, to the role of the clinician as an "invisible conductor," this episode is a profound reminder: end-of-life care is about people, not...

Whether you're a healthcare professional, caregiver, or someone navigating their own fears about death, Barbara's reflections shed light on how we can normalize and honor this natural process...

A couple months ago, She Rises Magazine asked for women to answer this question, "What Will Be Your Greatest Legacy?" Such a great idea to ponder. As an exercise, I...

On this episode, Barbara discusses end of life care and supporting caregivers as well as the normal dying process.

This is my response to a physician’s NY Times opinion about hospice care, clarifying what hospice was meant to be—education, caregiver support, and comfort at the end of life...

This episode aims to open minds and demystify death, dying, and grief, encouraging listeners to prepare and embrace end-of-life conversations.

What would happen if you had a conversation about this with somebody in your life? Maybe not a person who’s dying currently, but maybe someone close to you, a sibling,...

In the United States how we approach illness is the medical model addresses diseases that people happen to have and end of life care addresses people that happen to have...

In this conversation, Barbara offers profound wisdom: she offers a map, a presence, a way of holding death that allows us to also hold life more fully...

Barbara also delves into practical topics such as the appropriate use of food and fluids at the end of life, the natural stages of dying, terminal agitation, and the critical...

After losing her beloved mother, librarian Michelle Hilburn shares her personal journey through grief and the books that helped her—and her children—cope with the loss. From hospice to healing, she...

Today we discuss the importance of a team approach to care on hospice and the roles played by each member of the team...