Supporting all who care for elders
“Everyone on this floor is palliative.” My jaw dropped open as I processed what the nurse said. I scanned the hall, and saw elderly residents living life. A few sat in the dining room enjoying afternoon tea from china tea cups and chatting. One rushed, with her walker, to get to her memoir-writing class. A […]
Palliative Care: Quality of Life or End of Life? Read More »
The two police officers grinned as they patrolled this section of beach. It was seldom busy on a weekday, and given the cloudy weather, only a few families visited, scattered through the area. What caused their grin wasn’t the moms with their toddlers, but the elderly gentleman stretched on a lounge chair with a beach
What Is “A Good Death” And Is It Possible To Achieve? Read More »
Nine and a half years ago, I wrote my first blog. I pondered what I should discuss as I dove into the unknown waters of blogging. What topic would draw readers and create the audience I looked for? Death. I wrote about death. Before you question my sanity, let me clarify that in the blog
Why Death Scared Me and How I Learned to “Do Death” Better Read More »
I’m doing death better than I used to. When people are dying, it’s seldom pretty. Hollywood has glamorized it to something it’s not. For a newbie (at the time) like me, it was scary and I avoided it. I wasn’t in a position where I was supporting families at that time, and I made myself
Today, I had to write an end-of-life notice for someone who is dear to me. I struggled, deleted, started over and re-wrote. This notice is an email we send when a resident has been declared end-of-life by their doctor. The purpose is to let people know, so they can visit and say good-bye. We tell
This is it. From the time you became a care partner, you knew this day would come. You thought about it logically, had difficult conversations, and made impossible decisions leading up to it. You knew it was coming. You saw the signs. But your heart refused to see what your head knew. Until today. Today,
What Does “Keep Comfortable” Mean? Read More »
Your loved one lives in a long-term care home of some kind. They have been stable medically for a while, and you are thrilled to see them involved in the life of the home. Then one day, it happens. They develop pneumonia that doesn’t respond to treatment or a condition that requires intravenous antibiotics. Perhaps the
5 Reasons Not to Send Your Elder to Hospital Read More »
“If your heart were to stop beating as a result of heart attack, stroke, accident etc., would you like it restarted by the use of cardiopulmonary resuscitation?” It seems like a no-brainer. Duh–yes. Obviously, I need my heart to be beating to live. So, yes. It’s not that simple. There are facts about CPR you may
If My Heart Stops Beating Read More »
“I want some chocolate ice cream.” My co-worker, Melissa was startled to hear this. Paul was at the end of his life and had lost all interest in food. Although he could still swallow, he hadn’t had anything to eat or drink for several days, and staff had been instructed not to offer anything. Melissa
Comfort Feeding Only Read More »
When Bill was dying of heart disease, I didn’t know he was dying. He was palliative and nearing end-of-life, but I didn’t understand those terms, and no one explained them to me. Perhaps because he was only 55, every medical person was full of hope until all hope was gone. One disturbing symptom was when
When Food Is No Longer Possible Read More »