Something to Think About

When a dying parent refuses to tell the rest of the family about a terminal diagnosis,  should you keep the secret or encourage open conversations?

Most people don't know what to do or can do in the final hours before death. Here are gentle ways families and caregivers can create a meaningful goodbye and bring...

Caregivers are often alone when caring for someone who is dying. Written guidance can provide reassurance and support when it is needed most.

Most of us don’t think about healthcare decisions until something is wrong. But in crisis, emotions take over and clear thinking becomes difficult. Planning ahead—through an advance directive and sharing...

Sometimes the question is not how long we can live, but how we want to live with the time we have.

Those of us who work in end-of-life care walk beside people and families during one of the most intimate times of life. Because of the emotional nature of this work,...

We educate families about the dying process, but too often no one is there when death actually happens...

In the final days and hours, a person may “wait” for someone to arrive—or let go when everyone is out of the room. Hospice nurse Barbara Karnes, RN, explains the...

End-of-life care isn’t just clinical. It’s deeply personal. Before we can guide others through death, we must understand our own beliefs, fears, and experiences. When we face death honestly within...

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...