Something to Think About

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.

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.

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.

In the final days and hours, a person may “wait” for someone to arrive—or let go when everyone is out of the room. Hospice nurse Barbara Karnes, RN, explains the...

Most of us imagine dying will be quiet and peaceful, but real dying often looks different. Nothing bad is happening — the body is doing the natural work of letting...

Relationships are challenging. We don’t always get from them what we want or need. As death comes, the yearning for what we didn’t get or have with this person increases...

Some illnesses are curable. Some are uncertain. And some can’t be fixed—no matter what we do. Knowing which type you or your loved one is facing can help you choose...

If I could sit beside you at the bedside, this is what I would place in your hands. Whether you’re a family member, a friend, a caregiver, or an end-of-life...

End of life care is about bonding and developing trust — not just with the patient, but with the family and the caregiver, as well...

Knowledge is important for the person dying because they are processing their life on many levels. It is important for the watchers because it is our final opportunity to connect,...

Working with end of life all these years has shown me how special each day is. It has also shown me the value and the gift of living, doing, and...

Other people seem cheerful, happily planning holiday delights, and we, the grievers or caregivers, are reminded of what we don’t have, of what we’ve lost or are losing...

All the hours of talking, drinking coffee, and eating homemade pies was time spent healing, building trust, and educating. It wasn’t about blood pressures. It was about people, feelings, and...

My hope in writing this blog is to draw our attention to the “unsung heroes” caring for their special person as end of life approaches, as well as to those caring...

...That caregivers put so much energy, time, love, and concern into taking care of their person that they can become blind to or just plain don’t want to see the...

My husband Jack  has been dead eight months. In processing the five months from his diagnosis to his death, what stands out most for me is the tension that surrounded food....

Because of knowledge we’ve lost when people began dying in places other than home, we judge approaching death by the treatments and procedures used in getting people better...