Something to Think About

There are many different approaches and offerings. These multiple choices give you the chance to match your personality with the instructors and teaching methodology...

As end of life approaches, people start looking at their life; what they’ve accomplished, not done, who they have touched, interacted with, and the relationships they have or have not built...

I see Death Cafes as the start of a conversation; the start of opening ourselves up to exploring end of life issues; the start of breaking the belief that if I talk...

If we don’t legally make our wishes known in writing and generally notarized, healthcare professionals will make those decisions for us...

It has been almost six months since my husband of 62 years died. As an end of life educator I have taught about loss and grief, and even wrote a booklet about it. BUT...

In the ideal picture, the goal is the patient’s death. Everything that is done before the death is preparation for the actual moment death occurs. Everything after the death gradually eases...

If you have a good, amicable relationship then get them together and say, with caring in your heart, "I am going to tell you some things I have learned about...

Dying isn't like it is in the movies. We don't know what it is like to die from disease or old age and while everyone is going to do it,...

I’ve always said I can teach anyone how to take care of someone who is dying, the physical, communication, supportive skills. It is the interpersonal, empathy, and heart skills that...

In the months before death when the patient is still alert, still actively engaging, watch for clues, for openings to help bring the "what has life been about" thoughts forward...

Since at this time there are no “standards of practice” or even standards for the content given in end of life training, think about what you are looking to provide....

Getting the word to caregivers that there is such a thing as a support group may be challenging. You might talk with church groups, case managers, hospital discharge planners, and...

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...

When the doctor says, “We have tried everything and the treatments are not working to eliminate the disease progression;” “Let’s talk about how you can best live your life from this point...

Unfortunately, children die. We are born, we experience, and then we die. That's the name of this game called life...

I keep shouting from the roof top to hospitals, hospices, home health care agencies, and nursing facilities, “TAKE CARE OF YOUR PEOPLE!!!!!” How can we expect healthcare workers to continue...

... if we would educate ourselves before we need the information, before someone we care about is dying, before we are faced with a life threatening illness, or before someone we...

 Know that all of these signs of approaching death, whether indicating months or weeks, are just guideposts. Some people will show all of them...

First, what is meant by “dying person”? In the months before death most people really don’t believe they are dying. “Other people die, not me. There will be a cure,...

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...

There are many of the same circumstances with today’s coronavirus as we faced with  HIV/AIDS in the early years— lack of medical knowledge, lack of guidance, and fear. I think...