Something to Think About

Now I have to learn how to be a widow. How to create a new life, a new way of being. I am truly alone. 

The role of any end of life worker is to begin teaching  immediately, on the first visit -- teaching about approaching death, what to look for, and what to do. That’s...

As caregivers, we want so much to do the “right thing” for our special person. We know death is coming but still try to do all we can to stop...

Addressing the timelines of approaching death also neutralizes the false hope that our person will get better, that there is more time.

Dying patterns are centered around food, sleep and socialization. Assess those three areas and you can track the dying process.

In the months and weeks before death, medical intervention and medical tools are an active part of care. Pain management, skin care, mouth care,and bowel and urine care are all...

As for the “signs of what is to come” for someone who is young and dying, those signs are also the same for everyone, young and old. People dying from...

All the work we do leads up to the moment of death. Our goal is to guide and support those present through the moment the last breath occurs.

Just think of a woman in labor and what she is thinking about—-getting that baby out. The person that is dying is in labor also, working to leave the physical...

We cannot put a number on how long someone has to live. There are so many factors that affect the time of our gradual death that the closest anyone can...

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...

The more you learn about end of life, what happens, what it looks like, the less fear you will bring to the experience and with less fear you can get...

Dying isn’t about the disease a person has. It is about the emotional, communal response to the person dying from the disease. It doesn’t require medical intervention. It requires comfort...

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

...Rapid breathing like your dad was doing is exactly where a small bit of morphine (5 ml is small) helps slow down those 40/50 breaths a minute to a more...

How do you answer a family member when they ask you how much longer their loved one has to live?  That is a question most family members want to know and...

Most diseases have a pattern. You generally know what to expect. With dementia there seems to be no pattern, at least as far as approaching death is concerned until they...

Hospice was perfect for them. Charles had a life threatening illness, had refused further treatment, and they were alone. We were there to give them support and guidance. Charles and...

With Hospice you never know what you will find once you enter the home. Service can’t be time based. Visits have to be stay until the job is done and...

You asked why your relationship to your hospice work was affected following the death of your dad. I think because every time you entered a patient's home and life it...

Keeping Secrets: “Don’t tell mom.” Don’t say that she could die.” Don’t talk to her about “sad” things.” “Pretend everything is going to be alright.”  Mom lives inside of her body....