Tag: dying process

EOLPodcast

Ep. 476 The Dying Process: What Caregivers Need to Know with Barbara Karnes RN

kwyattmd

Learn from an expert about the dynamics of the dying process and the most common concerns of caregivers as their loved one approaches death.

This week I’m welcoming once again my recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN who is a hospice nurse, author, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care and the dynamics of dying. She is the author of Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience, also known in the hospice world as “the little blue book,” which remains the leading resource on the market today educating families on the signs of approaching death. She discusses the most common questions and concerns that arise for caregivers as their loved one goes through the final stages of life. Learn more about Barbara’s work and books at her website:

bkbooks.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Stages of the natural dying process that are commonly observed
  • Fear of death can interfere with meaning at the end of life
  • How movies contribute to misunderstandings about the dying process
  • The importance of education for the general public about the signs and changes of natural dying
  • Gradual death has a process that begins 2-6 months before death
  • The first stage of dying is marked by changes in sleep, socialization and food intake which become more significant with time
  • The “labor” of dying begins 2-3 weeks before death
  • Mottling of skin is a sign of the final stage along with changes in breathing
  • Being at the bedside of someone who is dying forces us to be in the present moment
  • Why it’s difficult to predict exactly when a person will die even though we know what signs to watch for

Links mentioned in the episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporter Jim Schultz and to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 464 Nutrition at the End of Life with Barbara Karnes RN

kwyattmd

Learn about a guidebook that teaches how to offer appropriate nutrition for a loved one approaching death.

This week I’m welcoming my recurring guest and friend Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care and the dynamics of dying. Barbara is the author of Gone From My Sight, “the little blue book” used by hospices around the world to teach families what to expect as their loved one dies. She is also the author of the new book Always Offer, Never Force that teaches caregivers about the changing needs for food and nutrition as the body approaches death. We discuss the book and our personal experiences in this informative conversation. Learn more at Barbara’s website:

bkbooks.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How food is a top concern for caregivers when a loved one is nearing death
  • The body needs food less and less as death approaches
  • How food represents love for most of us and is tied to our emotions and socialization
  • Concentrate on high protein and high calorie foods from the time of diagnosis to build up an energy reserve
  • Having a flexible plan for nutrition during the last months of life can help alleviate stress and tension
  • How the judgments of others can cause guilt for caregivers around food
  • Why tube feeding and IV nutrition are not helpful and may be harmful at the end of life

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my latest supporter Ronda Violi and to Simply Celebrate for buying me 3 coffees! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 384 People Don’t Die Like They Do in the Movies with Barbara Karnes RN

kwyattmd

Learn how to counteract the misinformation about death in modern media and teach people the truth about the natural dying process.

In this episode I welcome back my recurring guest Barbara Karnes who is a hospice nurse, international speaker, and author of the books Gone From My Sight: The Dying Experience and By Your Side: A Guide for Caring for the Dying at Home. We discuss her slogan “People don’t die like they do in the movies” and how popular media, including television, film and books, provide misleading and inaccurate portrayals of the dying process. Learn how to get a T-shirt with the slogan on her website:

www.bkbooks.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How movies and television programs misinform people about death and dying
  • The consequences of inaccurate portrayals of the end of life in popular media
  • What the natural dying process actually looks like
  • The “work” of dying and how to support a person in the process
  • Why we can’t expect a dying loved one to do or say something to support us
  • How a person’s breathing changes before death
  • Preparation for the dying process helps loved one be more present at the bedside
  • How CPR is depicted in medical TV shows as a miracle procedure that works most of the time
  • The actual facts about CPR
  • Confusion in advance care planning due to misinformation
  • Choosing the right healthcare proxy

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest patron Sharon Patterson! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 255 What the Dying Teach Us About the Afterlife with Debra Diamond PhD

kwyattmd

Learn what happens in the non-physical realm during the dying process according to a death doula and psychic medium.

My guest Debra Diamond is a former Wall Street money manager who left her career to pursue a life of service as a medical intuitive and psychic medium. She shares how she works with hospice patients as a death doula and what she has learned from them about the dying process and after-death experiences. Debra is the author of the book Diary of a Death Doula: 25 Lessons the Dying Teach Us About the Afterlife. Learn more at her website:

www.debradiamondauthor.com

Listen here:

What the Dying Teach Us About the Afterlife

This episode includes:

  • How Debra went from being a money manager to a medium and death doula
  • Why both the body and the soul need to be ready for death to occur
  • How dying patients “journey” to non-physical realms, including memories of the past, before they die
  • Medical science cannot measure or observe the non-physical realm and therefore tends to reject it
  • Clairsentience (receiving spiritual information through feelings) is common in our Western society, though most people don’t recognize it
  • How awareness of the non-physical realm can help with fear of death
  • Non-spiritual experiences are ineffable because our language doesn’t have the words to explain them
  • Tips for caring for the dying at the very end of life:
    • touch from a stranger or healthcare worker may not be helpful and may interrupt their process
    • be careful with what is said in front of dying patient
    • be quiet and meditative in their presence
    • have patient’s personal mementos in the room (photos, plants)
    • allow times of solitude for the patient
  • We can be “with” our loved ones in the non-physical realm even when we can’t be together in the same room when they are dying

Links mentioned in this episode:

  • Get Debra’s book here: Diary of a Death Doula: 25 Lessons the Dying Teach Us About the Afterlife
  • View Debra’s YouTube channel here
  • Vigil for Global Compassion
  • Subscribe to this podcast on Apple, Google, Spotify, iHeart Radio, Stitcher Radio
  • Check out the Series I’ve recorded in the past here
  • Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu and get access to the EOLU mug: “Mind if we talk about death?” (only Patrons can purchase it). PLUS get our new bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest Patrons: Grace Lawrence, Arlene Radasky, Kelli Lyles, and Rafael Babilonia. Your contributions make all the difference!

EOLPodcast

Ep. 251 Insights Into the Experience of Dying with Jennie Dear

kwyattmd

Learn about current research into the experience of dying as a physical, emotional and spiritual process.

My guest Jennie Dear, who has been a journalist, English professor and hospice volunteer, was curious about the question “what does it feel like to die?” so she conducted her own research project. After interviewing doctors, nurses, psychologists, and other experts about the passage between diagnosis and death, she wrote a book (What Does it Feel Like to Die?) to share the hopeful insights she gained. She discusses what she learned from that project and what most people don’t know and need to know about the dying process. Learn more about her work at the website:

www.jenniedear.com

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why and how Jennie wrote this book
  • How knowing about the physical process of dying can help people prepare better for the end of life
  • Why some dying patients’ pain is not alleviated
    • Fear of opioid abuse
    • Other untreated symptoms
    • Mental/emotional suffering of the dying process
  • Neuroscience experiments with patients in a vegetative state show patients are more aware than they appear to be
  • How do we know that “hearing is the last sense to go” for a dying patient
  • The 4 trajectories of dying (according to Dr. Joanne Lynn) and why it’s helpful to understand them
    • Sudden death
    • Terminal illness
    • Chronic illness
    • Frailty
  • Most common reasons for choosing medical aid in dying:
    • Fear of pain
    • Not wanting to be a burden to family
    • Not wanting to prolong the dying process

Links mentioned in this episode:

  • Course: Racism in Death Care – Confronting Bias, Ignorance and Prejudice taught by Joel Anthony and Anita Grant
  • Get Jennie’s book here: What Does it Feel Like to Die?
  • Get Karen’s book here: 7 Lessons for Living from the Dying
  • Dr. Joanne Lynn discusses 3 Trajectories of Death – video
  • The Five Trajectories pdf by Jennifer Moore Ballentine
  • Jennie’s YouTube video
  • Join the team at Patreon.com/eolu and get access to the EOLU mug: “Mind if we talk about death?” (only Patrons can purchase it). PLUS get our new bonuses: the monthly EOL News Update, movie reviews from 2 Doctors and a Movie, and automatic access to A Year of Reading Dangerously!

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest Patron: Heather Capuano. Your contributions make all the difference!