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. […]
I was recently asked how to be a Hospice volunteer. My answer was to call any hospice and ask how to be part of their volunteer program. However the real question is “Why do you want to be a hospice volunteer? Why do you want to support people who are dying?” Being involved with end […]
It isn’t until you walk in another’s shoes that you really know what something feels like. As most of you know my husband was on hospice services recently and died. Here are some thoughts after being on the other side of hospice, on the receiving side. *Once we get up the courage to call hospice, […]
As a new widow (that word sounds strange and startling) I have had many new insights. In my work in end of life, the focus has been on approaching death. Grief has been an afterthought, not a primary issue. With Jack’s death, I know how powerful grief is. Emotionally, now a month after Jack’s death, […]
Death has touched us all, some more recently than others. Grief has no actual timeline, no end point where we are suddenly “fine.” Each of us responds to our loss in different ways. Each of us in our own way and on our own time figure out how to go on living without our special […]
The physician is frontline, the top of the pyramid in healthcare. All care follows from there. The physician can set the tone for the entire patient experience. How do you set that tone to be a positive experience for the patient? Be honest, open, and direct. Talk at a fifth grade level, and not rushed. […]
Words. How we say them and how they are heard are often two different things. This morning my husband and I had a few words over what I gave him for breakfast. I would say it was a “tirade.” He would say it was an “explanation.” That little exchange got me thinking about how words […]
