Most religions of the world teach us that when we are dead, we are in a better place. I add to that that being dead is easy while being alive is very hard. SO why do we have such a hard time letting a loved one die when treatment is not working? When extraordinary measures are […]
Dying a gradual death, as opposed to dying suddenly, has certain patterns that tend to accompany it. There are similarities that can be found in most people as they approach death from disease or old age. Our personality and how we have lived our life up to this point are major factors in how we […]
By the time a hospice referral is made and/or the family and caregiver are thinking about hospice services, it is already well past the time guidance is needed. Waiting too long before calling hospice can happen for a couple of reasons. Some may be in denial of the signs of approaching death. Others simply don’t know what […]
On one of those 3:00 in the morning, “I can’t sleep so I’ll think instead” nights it occurred to me that there are actually three kinds of diseases. There are diseases that are fixable. You go to the doctor, receive medicines or treatments, and you become well. There is no question that you will get […]
The word “hospice” alone, to say nothing of the actual care hospice provides, is widely misunderstood. Most people generally know that hospice takes care of people that are dying. But as to the details, there is much that is gotten wrong. Here are four hospice myths that people hold and some clarifying information to dispel […]
For over 40 years, I’ve sat at the bedside of people who were dying — watching, listening, learning, and guiding. Again and again, I saw families with the same questions and concerns: What’s happening? Is it normal? Is something bad happening? What can I do? What shouldn’t I do? What’s coming next? That’s why I […]
Last week would have been my husband’s 91st birthday. As a family, we decided to celebrate his birthday all together. His children, grandchildren, and two close friends gathered for dinner and sharing. There were 9 of us. To honor him, we were each to bring a memento that reminded us of him or that was […]
I was recently at a home health conference. Why was I there? Talking about end of life with home health workers? Yes, absolutely. Patients die while having home health services just like people die in hospitals, nursing and residential care facilities. End of life knowledge is beneficial to the patient and family no matter what […]
Dear Barbara, how do you get a terminally-ill patient to accept hospice care? Most of us know hospice takes care of people who are dying. Since we are a death-denying society, no one wants to hear that they need hospice services. You may be wondering who counts as “people who are dying” and at what […]
Someone recently asked me, “What do Hospice volunteers do?” She was interested in becoming one. She was most interested in helping in an area most people are afraid to even acknowledge. What a special person it is who aspires to be a hospice volunteer! So to answer her question — they do a lot!!! But […]
