Tomorrow I Will Make my Wishes Known, but not Today
If we don’t legally make our wishes known in writing and generally notarized, healthcare professionals will make those decisions for us...
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...
There is a huge void in our medical system that so many families living with dementia fall into. These families have a loved one too sick and require too much...
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,...
We are not able to fix everyone. The physical body is programmed to die. It is made to die. So at some point the medical professionals will have to have...
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...