Is Mouth Care Considered Medical or Comfort Care at End of Life?
There is nothing medical about brushing your teeth, rinsing your mouth or moistening the inside of your mouth. We do it all the time. Why would it be suddenly considered a...
Something to Think About: a blog on end of life
caregiving at end of life
The Challenge of a Loved One Who is Dying
Deciding not to “tell mom she can’t be fixed" takes away that gift. Who are we (yes, even family) to determine what a person needs to or does not need...
Making Sense of Last Words
What is normal is the person may be talking BUT they won’t be making sense. They may be talking to people you don’t see or hear. Yes, I believe our...
The Hospice CNA: An Anchor in a Time of Uncertainty
Often the patient shares more with the CNA than with their own family members. We are so open and vulnerable when someone is giving us a bath, changing our bed,...
A Hospice Halloween
In the early days of hospice no one told us how long we could stay with the patient and families. We simply made it up as we went along. Our goal...
The "Labor" to Enter This World, and the "Labor" To Leave
End of Life Expert Barbara Karnes, RN explains the similarities in the "labor" to enter this world and the "labor" to leave it. Read on...
The Three Signs of Approaching Death From Disease or Old Age
Know that all of these signs of approaching death, whether indicating months or weeks, are just guideposts. Some people will show all of them...
Why Did They Put Dad To Sleep?
There are so many reasons your father could have been receiving medicine by a “needle”. I am not fond of IV or giving medication by a “needle” as end of...
The Silent Scream, Grimaces, and Scary Faces As We Die... Why?
There is a labor to dying. It is hard work for us to get out of our body (some harder than others). Think of the little chick that works, struggles...
Caring for a Dying Son
Our children are not supposed to die before we do. I cannot think of any grief more intense than watching our child deteriorate before our eyes. We grieve their dying...
How To Talk About Approaching Death
Our job as an end of life specialist is to address the elephant in the room, to be direct and honest in the gentlest way possible. We are not doing...
Can We Ever Thank You Enough, Front Line Workers?
Our frontline workers: nurses, nursing assistants, doctors, hospital employees, first responders, housekeeping, grocery, delivery, and transportation personnel, all people who are out front while most of us shelter in place,...