by Carol Bradley Bursack, Editor-in-Chief
October 21st, 2011 at 3:01 pm
Bill Moyers, the Emmy and Peabody Award-winning journalist, interviewed dozens of terminally ill patients to create a four-part exploration of end-of-life issues that span thoughts about everything from health care to cultural attitudes.
A press release I received from PBS includes quotes of high praise. The New York Daily News hails it as “ambitious, astoundingly moving, and relevant”, and The Washington Post calls it “an extraordinary achievement.”
After viewing the double DVD release of “On Our Own Terms,” I can say I fully agree.
Read more »
Posted in Death, Hospice | No Comments »
Tags: Death | Hospice
by Judy Kirkwood
September 27th, 2011 at 11:17 am
My mom and dad had so many critical health crises that we were on the edge of our seats for years. That meant whenever I traveled anywhere, I was never sure of what might happen. Since I was a travel writer that really added stress to each trip I scheduled. Thank goodness my younger sister was never more than 10 minutes away from mom and dad, but when they had their most significant downturns, I was many hours and miles away.
Read more »
Posted in Caregiving, Death | 3 Comments »
Tags: Caregiving | Death
by Judy Kirkwood
September 13th, 2011 at 9:00 am
I just got a call from a friend–a former social worker–who had been trying to steer a caregiving daughter toward considering hospice care for her mother. At only 75 pounds and with inoperable cancer, the mother is probably a good candidate for receiving end of life care, and it would be a blessing to the daughter to have more support.
The problem is the mother is still sharp enough to know that if she goes into hospice care she is most likely not coming out. Nobody wants to talk about that elephant in the room. But it is taking up a lot of space and energy that could otherwise be put toward settling affairs and last chances for bonding.
Read more »
Posted in Caregiving, Death | 4 Comments »
Tags: End-of-life caregiving | Hospice
by Judy Kirkwood
August 11th, 2011 at 9:00 am
Should we have taken mom to her brother’s memorial service? We felt we had to, but knew it might be problematic given her time traveling dementia between the present and past, not to mention the physical logistics of travel itself.
Read more »
Posted in Death, Dementia, Support | No Comments »
Tags: Death | Dementia
by Isabel Fawcett, SPHR
February 5th, 2011 at 10:24 am
In late 2010 and early January 2011, there were some healthcare consumers, including caregivers, elders, and paid healthcare personnel such as doctors and nurses who grappled with the whole social issue of when and how to best deliver end-of-life counseling to elderly individuals. The end-of-life dilemma and social question is reasonable in eldercare and where chronic, terminal diseases prevail.
Read more »
Posted in Caregiving, Caring At Home, Death | No Comments »
Tags: elderly | end-of-life transitions for elders and family caregivers
Carol Bradley Bursack
