Something to Think About

Everyone dies. Death will not be conquered. It can be forestalled and that is where the medical model comes in. We learn through trying. The medical rounds physician is correct...

It will never be “okay” for someone we care about to die, to leave us. We will always want those we care about to stay in our lives...

Death from disease and old age doesn’t just happen. There are signs and changes that begin occurring months before death arrives. You can use those signs as a reference indicating...

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...

How do we interact with someone dying a sudden death? The same way we would react with someone dying a gradual death.

The experience of dying a gradual death is an important, integral part of life. It is an opportunity to write our final chapter, to define the ending of our story...

This is a guide all would be wise to complete now (and regularly update) before the information is needed. It is a gift to those left behind...

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...

We used to have role models on what dying really looks like. People died at home, in their own bed. Family and friends gathered — held a vigil, so to speak. When...

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

Denial by the person with a life threatening illness, denial by the caregiver, and I’ll even add denial by some attending physicians. Denial is often the reaction to diseases that have...

We used to have grandma’s body “laid out” in the parlor and family and friends came to our home with support and food. Grandma died in the home and we...

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

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...

Why is the patient being discharged, you ask? Is it because the patient just didn’t decline as rapidly as expected? Yes, that can be the situation...

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

Tell her honestly what you are feeling and ask for help. Just FYI: she can sign on for hospice and if she felt she needed to go to the emergency...

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...

Hospice is widely known for providing end of life care. It has grown in size and in its original scope of services. Even its definition of “end of life care”...

It is our job, our responsibility as end of life workers to be honest with our patients. In a “don’t tell mom” situation I first assess where everyone is, who...