"Everyone succumbs to finitude. I suspect I am not the only one who reaches this pluperfect state. Most ambitions are either achieved or abandoned; either way, they belong to the past. The future, instead of the ladder toward the goals of life, flatt
Best practice re: volunteer visit reports. Paper documentation from volunteer? Reports sent by e-mail? Would the latter be HIPPA compliant?
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The PBS Frontline documentary on Dr. Atul Gawande's book Being Mortal is now available. This is a touching and compassionate discussion about life and death. It stresses the importance of not waiting too long to make certain important decisions abou
Hospice-palliative volunteers bring a unique perspective to the debate about physician-assisted suicide. Already legal in several states (Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, and New Mexico), the law requires that the terminally ill must be of sou
Read more…I am a Reigonal Sales Director for ProCare HospiceCare and have been having a little trouble locating and getting leads in my area. What my company does is lower medications costs and improve the quality of life for the patient. If you know of a hosp
Read more…A woman’s daughter had asked the local minister to come and pray with her mother. When the minister arrived, he found the woman lying in bed with her head propped up on two pillows. An empty chair sat beside her bed. The minister assumed that the wom
Read more…If so, is it part of providing caregiver relief or does it have it's own job description? Currently our volunteers provide emotional support in a variety of ways but only do light housekeeping as part of care giver relief. For example, they may wash
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What do you think surveyed nurses would say about their perceptions of hospice-palliative care volunteers? The “American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care” took such a survey and reports results in these areas:
1) Nurses attitudes and what th
Occasionally we have patients who are discharged from hospice because they have stabilized to the point they no longer qualify for hospice. As odd as it sounds, my volunteers have a much harder time with this separation than that brought on my death.
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Did you know that there are hospice volunteers for pets? The same inspiration that compels caregivers to protect and cherish humans stirs pet owners to want peaceful death journeys for their pets. Hospice care for pets has become a reality at the C
The near-death experience perspective offers non-NDErs a glimpse into the process of transition. If we take the most common scenarios, we have a foundation to build on so when each of us actually dies, we have a something of a roadmap or guidebook so
Read more…What can healthcare workers do when families expect miraculous recoveries of dying patients after all earthly procedures have failed. Respect for the spirituality and religions of others is important during healthcare treatment. Knowing how to walk t
Read more…The Oscar nominated prison hospice documentary to air on HBO Documentary Channel, next Monday, 3/31/14.
Prison Terminal: The Last Days of Private Jack Hall is a moving cinema verité documentary that breaks through the walls of one of Americas oldest
Read more…March 19 --Medicare hospice patients will have access to palliative care, as well as care aimed
I lost my daughter several years ago, suddenly, and she left 4 little girls behind. Life has been pretty rough for them and now, several years later, they would give anything in the world to have a recording/video of their mom made for them. They h
Read more…While familiar with Advance Directives and choices, had no idea what a major study found about what the physician's perspective is on these choices. This audio clip has interviews with some physicians and is useful information to consider when makin
Read more…by Rashani Rea & Kathy Douglas
Those who companion suffering daily, such as hospice nurses and volunteers, will surely appreciate this beautiful work. With 62 original art collages by Rashani Réa, five beautiful chapters by Kathy Douglas, and a foreword by Jean Watson, this exquisite book is a peaceful refuge for contemplation, inquiry, reflection and inspiration for those who traverse the joys and sorrows of nursing.
Kathy Douglas, RN, MPH-HA is a nationally recognized nurse leader, filmmaker and entrepreneur.
Rashani Réa is a prolific artist and musician, a creatrice of sanctuaries and a respected spiritual mentor.
“This is a beloved book and beyond a book. It is an evocative, poetic, ecstatic, and inspirited sacred, experiential calling. A calling to you--YES, YOU.”
— Jean Watson, PhD, RN, AHN-BC, FAAN, Living Legend (AAN)
“Those who companion suffering daily need to turn inward to metabolize what they have witnessed. This exquisite book, filled with beautiful images and poetic wise words, is the inspiration and support needed to grow a wise heart.”
— Frank Ostaseski, founder and director of the Metta Institute and author of The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully
“In this unique time of the COVID-19 pandemic, this book should be considered a tribute to the tremendous courage being displayed by nurses around the world. There is much wisdom conveyed throughout by those who have been there serving others with such grace.”
— Greg Schneider President, HVA, co-author of The Changing Face of Hospice Volunteering in Hospice and Palliative Care
