A Companion in Words and Images

At the end of life, the capacity for absorbing educational or theoretical materials about dying may be diminished just when the need for beauty and meaning intensifies. It is also a time when crucial discussions about the dying process, life review, making preferences known and addressing emotional and spiritual issues are hugely important. Facing Death: A Companion in Words and Images was created precisely for such a time and to encourage such conversations. This slender volume features full-color nature photographs paired with brief messages, along with pages for journaling and a section to which personal photos, notes and cards may be attached. The book itself is a thing of beauty, owing to its photographic artistry: a spot of color in the day of someone facing death. That it also can be sampled at random, customized and provided to families makes it a resource of particular value to hospice and palliative care professionals and volunteers alike. This award-winning book is an unmatched gift for the dying. Please CLICK HERE to learn more about the book and also to become familiar with a very special blog designed to complement and extend the purposes of the book. Feedback on the book and contributions via comments on the blog would be gratefully received and considered.

Regards,

Linda Watson

http://talkaboutdeath.com

You need to be a member of Hospice Community Forum to add comments!

Join Hospice Community Forum

Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Thanks, Joy. All the best in your own work!

    Linda

  • Dear Linda,

     

    The book looks and sounds like an incredible contribution to the dying experience, both for patient and family.  How I wish it had been available during my care giving journey with my husband.  There definitely was nothing as beautiful and heartwarming which could fill my heart and spirit - and his, as well.

     

    Thank you for all you are doing for this cause.

     

    My first book, derived from my journal entries during his two-year journey with liver disease, is titled From Fear to Faith, A Caregiver's Journey, and is endorsed by Hospice International.  My heart is delighted to know that caregivers are being comforted from the validation found on the pages.  It moves the reader from the "cities" of Disbelief and Despair into Acceptance, Farewell and finally, Triumph.

    Now it is my pleasure to share the steps of this book during keynotes and conferences, workshops and retreats with hospice and home care staff and volunteers as well as their care giving families.  My conferences are also relevant for Councils on the Aging and related agencies.

    Blessings to you for the work you are doing!

    Joy

    Joyce Marie Sheldon

    http://www.MyJoyToday.com

  • Oops! a goof after my signature: the correct URL for my blog is http://talkaboutdeath.net

    Linda

This reply was deleted.
 

CAREGIVERS STORE

Recently Published!!
by Maryclaire Torinus

Surviving Hospice: A Chaplain's Journey into the Big Business of Dying Plus: How To Find a Trustworthy Hospice 

This narrative is an insider’s look into the hijacking of hospice by private equity and professional investors and the subsequent harm to patients, their families, and to the interdisciplinary clinical teams. It was released by a NYC publisher on October 31, 2023. For sale on Amazon.

The author, a hospice chaplain, tells end-of-life stories of her patients who were harmed by financially-motivated policies. This is a book for anyone who is embarking on making a choice about a hospice for their loved one, working chaplains, those in training, and those interested in what dying is like with a hospice who places patients as their primary stakeholders.

Maryclaire's experience working for an owner who sold to a private equity firm helped her to realize that the reputation and viability of hospice is in jeopardy. Her goal is to alert all who love hospice to rid it of professional investors.

— Stacy Juba, author, editor, and award-winning health journalist

"Powerful, beautifully written, and eye-opening, this book spotlights the inner workings of a multi-billion-dollar industry and the effect on patients, families, and hospice staff. The author shares poignant accounts of hospice at its best and worst and the hard-hitting truths she learned on her journey. A must-read for family members exploring hospice care."

— Laura Kukowski, CEO, editor, For-Profit Badger Hospice, LLC

"Maryclaire Torinus speaks with authority, providing this essential handbook for choosing a hospice care team and why that selection really matters."

Greg Schneider President, HVA, co-author of The Changing Face of Hospice Volunteering in Hospice and Palliative Care 

"When I first found out that Maryclaire Torinus was writing this book, I immediately contacted her because in my 25+ years supporting hospice volunteers, I have seen a gradual decline in the quality of care volunteers are permitted to provide the dying and their families. There are a variety of reasons for this that I describe in the Foreward of this book. Maryclaire provides invaluable insights that everyone should know, along with solutions to help others make the right choice in choosing a hospice."

Buy Now