We talk about a Durable Medical Power of Attorney and how important it is to make our end of life wishes known. If we don’t legally make our wishes known in writing and generally notarized, healthcare professionals will make those decisions for us. Those decisions will be to try to start our heart when it […]
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 written a booklet about it. BUT what I didn’t really understand were the emotional thoughts and feelings of grief. I couldn’t and didn’t understand because I had […]
If you look at a person from a healthy perspective you see the need for food, sleep, and socialization. We eat to live. Sleep to revitalize. Interact with others for stimulation. If the body is preparing to die, the reverse is the norm. We gradually stop eating. We begin sleeping more. We begin withdrawing from […]
Dear Barbara, What suggestions do you have in overcoming the changes we see in hospice and healthcare today? It doesn’t look like it did 20 years ago. How do we maintain balance while keeping patients centered? Hospice originated outside of the medical model. It met needs the medical establishment did not. Gradually, ever so slowly, […]
Dear Barbara, We have heard the terms “compassion fatigue” and “caregiver burnout.” Today, after covid, it is being called “beyond burnout.” What are your thoughts about this? Doesn’t it feel like the world has sped up? Everything is so intense these days. That energy affects us all on many levels. Our minds and our feelings […]
Being in a relationship is about sharing and compromise. It is “let US do this, what do YOU think?” When a person is alone, not in a relationship, they can do what they want; there is no sharing or compromise. I hadn’t thought of that before because I didn’t have to. Now that I am […]
Most people, if they had their choice, would want to be in their home with family and the dog or cat on the bed when they die. YET, most people die in a hospital or nursing facility without the dog or cat, and maybe even without family present. In the hospital, if a person doesn’t […]
As I travel this grief path I am seeing that many people don’t know what to do or say to grievers. There can be awkwardness, even avoidance from people. I remember when a friend’s son died and Jack and I were on the way to the visitation, husband Jack asked me what he could say […]
Why are professional boundaries so important? First let’s define “professional.” Being professional means being reliable, setting your own high standards, and showing that you care about every aspect of your job. It is about being industrious and organized and holding yourself accountable for your thoughts, words, and actions. That definition can apply to any job. […]
Dear Barbara, What are ways to provide support to hospice staff (RN’s, CNA’s, SW’s, CP’s) who see death on a nearly daily basis? What actions would be meaningful in an industry where death is an integral part of our lives? Working with end of life in the medical field often leaves us feeling like outliers. […]
