Tag: end of life care

EOLPodcast

Ep. 521 Caring House: A Residence for Hospice Care with David Zartman and Joanna Franco

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My two guests this week are administrators of Caring House, a non-profit residence for hospice patients in Torrance, California. David Zartman is the Executive Director of Caring House having previously been a successful entrepreneur. Joanna Franco is the Director of Operations with many years of experience as both a caregiver and a residential care coordinator and manager. They discuss the history of Caring House and how residences like this are essential for communities that want to fully support end-of-life care for their people. Learn more at the Caring House website:

yourcaringhouse.org

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The history of Caring House
  • The long journey of establishing an Omega Home as a residence for hospice patients
  • What services are provided by Caring House and similar homes
  • Who qualifies to reside there
  • The benefits of “death in community” where several patients and families are experiencing the end of life in the same facility at the same time
  • How staff processes grief after the death of a patient
  • Rituals and traditions followed after a patient death
  • How care is paid for at Caring House

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 Deborah Ward and thank you to Kathleen Lynch, Christina Holbrook and Alan Dulit, Chantal Kersten, and Ann Kenworthy for making donations on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 465 Podcast Playlist: End-of-Life Doulas with Karen Wyatt MD

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Learn all about end-of-life doulas from this comprehensive deep dive into the archives of EOLU Podcast!

This week I’m sharing a new feature: the “Podcast Playlist” which is a topic-focused deep dive into the archives of EOLU. I’ve created several anthologies of episodes that deal with specific subjects that might interest you. This is to make it easier for you to take advantage of the wealth of information available from previous interviews on the podcast. This playlist centers on EOL Doulas and you’ll learn a lot about what doulas do, why they are important, and various types of trainings that are available. You can see the slides for this episode if you watch on YouTube at the link below or you can download a handout of the slides and a list of the presenters:

View slides here

Handout of Presenters

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

Other links for this show:

EOLPodcast

Ep. 454 Empowered Endings: Changing the Landscape of End-of-Life Care with Bob Uslander MD

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Learn about an innovative model for compassionate end-of-life care that meets the needs of individuals and communities.

My guest Dr. Bob Uslander is the co-founder, with his wife Elizabeth, of Empowered Endings, a unique palliative and end-of-life care model addressing the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of patients and families. He discusses the flexible model of care he created and how it functions to assist people who don’t qualify for hospice as well as those who are receiving hospice care but need additional services. Learn more at his website:

empoweredendings.com

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Dr. Bob’s journey from emergency medicine to hospice and palliative care
  • How recognizing gaps in the healthcare system inspired the work Dr. Bob is doing today
  • The importance of end-of-life doulas for restoring balance to the care that is offered to people
  • The types of patients served by Empowered Endings
  • How his team supports patients utilizing medical aid in dying
  • The lack of home-based palliative care is an issue in most communities
  • Concerns that some doctors may not offer adequate support to patients and families choosing medical aid in dying
  • How his foundation offers free bereavement support to families of loved ones who have utilized medical aid in dying

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 donor Beth. Also thank you to Marie Nelson and Laura Lee for donating through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 433 Medical Aid in Dying: A Physician’s Perspective with Dr. Bob Uslander

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Learn about a unique medical practice that focuses on end-of-life issues for patients including medical aid in dying.

My guest Dr. Bob Uslander is an emergency medicine physician whose career evolved toward caring for the elderly and those facing the end of their lives. He created a novel approach to end-of-life care called Empowered Endings with his wife Elizabeth, a spiritual counselor and medical social worker, to ensure that patients and their loved ones have their decisions, goals and dignity honored at the end of life. Dr. Bob shares his experiences and thoughts around providing support for patients who choose to use Medical Aid in Dying. Learn more at his website:

www.empoweredendings.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Dr. Bob got interested in working with patients at the end of life
  • The significant gaps that currently exist in palliative and end-of-life care for patients
  • Why his practice focuses on holistic care for both patients and their families
  • How Empowered Endings works along with hospice and fills in the gaps when hospice cannot provide care
  • The need for physicians to support patients who choose to use MAID
  • Why MAID providers should have some special training in this area in order to properly support patients and their families
  • What it’s like as a physician to provide medical support for patients choosing MAID
  • Advice for other physicians who may be considering supporting MAID

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 and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 426 “Dear Brandon”: A Legacy Letter to Change the World with Krystina Christiansen and Brenna Brooks

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Hear a phenomenal and miraculous story about how a hospice patient’s “letter to the world” ended up actually traveling around the world and is now the subject of a documentary short film.

I have two guests this week joining me to talk about a documentary film that tells the story of a hospice patient named Brandon who wanted to leave a letter to share his love with the world. Brenna Brooks is the hospice social worker and trauma therapist from Sandy UT who helped Brandon write and share the letter that has now traveled around the world. Krystina Christiansen is a filmmaker from Los Angeles who found Brandon’s letter in Hawaii and was inspired to make a film about his story and the impact of his letter. You can learn more about the “Dear Brandon” film project and Krystina’s work at the websites below. Also follow posts about the letter and where it has traveled on Instagram:

www.seedandspark.com/fund/brandon

www.krystinachristiansen.com

Instagram – Forbrandonslove77

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Brandon’s story and how he ended up writing the letter with Brenna’s help
  • How Brenna first shared the letter on a hiking trail in Utah
  • An excerpt from Brandon’s letter
  • How Krystina came to find Brandon’s letter in Hawaii
  • How Brandon’s letter spread around the world
  • What impact writing this letter had on Brandon’s end-of-life journey
  • What inspired Krystina to make a documentary about this story
  • Goals for the film and how to help support it

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 and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 416 Upstream Care for Veterans at End of Life with Lauren Grigsby and Wes Moldogo

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Learn about an innovative ranch that provides a safe and healing space for veterans and how to help veterans prepare for end of life “upstream”, before it’s too late.

My guests this week are two veterans who now work with other veterans at end of life. Lauren Grigsby is the co-executive director at Central Oregon Veterans Ranch and is an end-of-life doula with The Peaceful Presence Project. Wes Moldogo is chaplain who serves in the Oregon Army National Guard’s 2-162 Infantry Regiment and works also as a hospice chaplain. Together Lauren and Wes discuss the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch and the concept of “upstream care” for veterans with spiritual pain. Learn more about the ranch at the website:

www.covranch.org

Listen here:

Watch on YouTube

This episode includes:

  • The inspiration behind the Central Oregon Veterans Ranch
  • Mental health issues and “soul injury” for veterans
  • How the COV Ranch provides dignity and purpose for veterans
  • How needs for veterans change at different life stages
  • What is “upstream care” for veterans (and others) and why is it needed
  • Creating safe space for veterans as they face the end of life
  • Why the military culture of strength may make hospice acceptance more difficult for veterans
  • Why the staff members of Veterans Ranch work on their own vulnerability first
  • The importance of “distress tolerance” in end-of-life work
  • The need for palliative care for unhoused veterans
  • How the Central Oregon area is a great example of community collaboration for veteran care
  • The 3 “spiritual pains” often seen in veterans
  • Upstream interventions to help veterans with spiritual pain

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! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 410 Self-Care Series: Finding Little Moments of Joy with Karen Wyatt

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Today is “Self-Care Monday” and I’ll be enjoying a little time off. In this brief audio recording you will learn a simple process for noticing the good and positive experiences happening around you and gradually training your mind to store more joyful and positive memories. I hope you’ll take time for some self-care too as you work to help others experience a better end of life and prepare for your own future path. See you next week for a regular episode where I’ll share a new interview!

Listen here:

EOLPodcast

Ep. 377 Center for Conscious Living and Dying: An End-of-Life Care Home with Aditi Sethi, MD

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Learn about a model for a non-medical home that is changing how we provide end-of-life care.

My guest Dr. Aditi Sethi is a hospice and palliative care physician and end-of-life doula. She is the founder and executive director of the Center for Conscious Living and Dying, a community supported end-of-life care home near Asheville NC. Aditi shares her journey toward working with death and dying and the creative inspiration that is bringing CCLD into existence. We discuss why the care home model may be the solution to many problems currently facing hospice and end-of-life care. Learn more at the website:

www.ccld.community

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How intuition guided Aditi’s journey to becoming a hospice and palliative care physician and an EOL doula
  • What Aditi learned from her travels in India during childhood
  • What needs to change in the medical system to improve how people die
  • How conscious living and conscious dying are intertwined
  • Practices to become more awake and aware in life and in dying
  • What is the Center for Conscious Living and Dying
  • The benefits of community-supported end-of-life homes
  • How creativity can help us devise solve the problems we face around end-of-life care
  • Resources available from the Omega Home Network to help people start EOL care homes
  • How working with Ethan Sisser at his end of life inspired Aditi’s next steps to leap into the unknown

Links mentioned in this episode:

EOLPodcast

Ep. 360 Creating Community for Death Doulas with Jo-Anne Haun and Karen Hendrickson

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Learn why community is important for all of us as we work to improve the end of life in our society.

Today I’m welcoming two guests to the podcast: Jo-Anne Haun and Karen Hendrickson who are the co-founders of the Death Doula Network of BC. Jo-Anne is a professional end-of-life doula, hospice volunteer, and therapy clown. Karen is a professional coach, a licensed Willow EOL Educator™, and end-of-life doula. They share their experiences in creating an online community for death doulas, why it’s important that we form collaborative networks right now, and how everyone benefits when we work together. Learn more at their website:

www.ddnbc.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why Jo-Anne and Karen decided to create DDNBC
  • How the pandemic helped inspire this online network
  • How facing death can help us truly find quality in life
  • Why preparing in advance can help us cope with a terminal diagnosis
  • The value of humor to help us shift energy and cope with difficult situations
  • Why the role of the death doula is essential at this time in our history to fill in gaps in end-of-life care
  • Doula communities allow creative potential to arise for each individual and foster collaboration
  • The need for community-wide education about loss and end-of-life issues

Links mentioned in this episode:

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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, and to those who have bought me a coffee and made a donation through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 349 Why My Family Chose Hospice with Kathleen Vallee Stein

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Learn about the hospice experience from the perspective of a family member.

My guest Kathleen Vallee Stein worked for the California Department of Aging and has written numerous articles on caring for aging patents for more than twenty years. Her work has been published in the Christian Science Monitor, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, Pasadena Star-News, Orange County Register, and the Jewish Journal. Recently she has written a book about her family’s experiences as her father faced the end of life called Loving Choices, Peaceful Passing: Why My Family Chose Hospice, and today she’ll share insights from that hospice journey with her father. Learn more at her website:

www.valleeview.com

Get the book here

Read the transcript

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How her family made the decision to choose hospice for her father
  • The challenges of having conversations about hospice with a loved one at the end of life
  • How the family had to bring up hospice with the doctor initially but he was helpful after that point
  • The relief experienced by the entire family and the patient once they made the decision to stop curative treatment and to enroll in hospice
  • Negative misperceptions about hospice are an obstacle to early admission
  • How her father’s temperament changed for the better after going on hospice
  • Why Kathleen hired in-home professional caregivers even though her parents were initially opposed to it
  • How they managed their parents’ financial issues as a family
  • Dealing with old family conflicts that arise at the end of life
  • How the hospice chaplain made a big difference for her father
  • The many positive surprises that arose during her father’s end of life
  • How they planned the funeral and made decisions about disposition
  • How she and her mother grew closer through the challenges of caring for her father at the end of life
  • Advice to those considering hospice for a loved one
  • Hope and “precious time” with her father in his last days

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! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 328 Sacred Death Care and the Deathwalker Archetype with Sarah Kerr PhD

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Learn how to tell if you’ve been called to be a “deathwalker” and how to offer sacred care to others at the end of life.

My guest Sarah Kerr has been a death doula, ritual healing practitioner, and trainer since 2012. She draws on nature-based spirituality, sacred sciences, and the richness of the human soul in her work and she is the founder of The Centre for Sacred Deathcare. She discusses the “deathwalker archetype,” how many people are being called right now to do this work, and the courses she offers to help us create more complete maps for dying, death and bereavement. Learn more about Sarah’s work at her websites:

Education and training: www.sacreddeathcare.com

Death doula services: www.soulpassages.ca

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Sarah was drawn to the work she does as a death doula, ritual practitioner and trainer
  • Why social healing requires getting accustomed to endings and death
  • How death care helps us merge our knowledge of science and spirituality
  • How The Centre for Sacred Deathcare got started
  • Challenges and blessings that have arisen from COVID
  • Simple, personal rituals for being present during difficult times
  • What is the “Deathwalker Archetype” and how to know if it is active in your psyche
  • How Western medicine leaves out the Soul when dealing with health issues
  • Why we need new maps for dying, death and bereavement
  • The 3 maps of The Soul’s Journey Course Sarah teaches
  • Why Deathwalkers need to be in community with one another

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 new patron Lelia Ball! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 325 Palliative Care: What’s Needed Now and in the Future with John Mulder MD

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Learn how palliative care can meet the healthcare needs of the future.

My guest Dr. John Mulder is a pioneering member of the palliative care specialty. He currently serves as chief medical consultant for hospice and palliative car at Holland Home, the largest provider of elder care services in Michigan. He also serves as executive director for the Trillium Institute, which provides education for clinicians on managing serious and terminal illness. He discusses some of the challenges facing palliative care currently and in the future of this specialty. Learn more at this website:

www.trilliuminstitute.org

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The differences between hospice and palliative care
  • Why the general public and physicians need to reframe their understanding of palliative care
  • Why the 6 months criteria for hospice admission often interferes with patients receiving care that they need
  • Should hospice and palliative care “rebrand” or “rename” in order to overcome stigmas
  • Why referring patients to palliative care could help physicians with burnout
  • How palliative care can improve patient outcomes and quality of life
  • How physicians can better educate their peers about palliative care and hospice
  • What changes will be needed to meet the rising demands of the aging baby boomer population
  • Why primary palliative care training will be essential in the future
  • The importance of attracting new talent to the speciality
  • How technology may evolve in the future to assist with referrals to palliative and hospice care
  • Dr. Mulder’s new podcast: Palliative Matters

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 new patrons Monica Czaplinski and Jeannie Canepa! Your contributions make all the difference.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 311 The Conundrum of “Hope” at the End-of-Life

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Learn why hope is a powerful tool that can be harmful or helpful at the end of life.

In this solo episode I share some thoughts, concerns, studies, quotes and clips on hope and why it isn’t always a good thing at the end of life. From doctors who refuse to refer patients to hospice and palliative care because they don’t want to take away their hope, to patients who cling to false hopes and resist planning for the end of life, I’ve long been concerned that we are using hope in a toxic way in our medical system. It’s time to look at a better way to help patients find meaning and positive experiences at the end of life than just handing them empty hope.

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How hope can be harmful for some people as they approach the end of life
  • Study showing the unrealistic expectations of terminal patients for how long they thought they had to live
  • The consequences of unrealistic hope for individual patients and the medical system
  • How some medical providers use hope as a tool without recognizing the harm it can cause to patients
  • How unrealistic hope can prevent patients from focusing on the present moment
  • Study showing that hope has a spectrum from “miracle cure” to “peaceful death”
  • Most patients want gentle honesty from their doctors but doctors often don’t recognize that
  • How to “dance with death” (per Stephen Jenkinson) rather than fighting against death
  • Why hope can be a superficial disguise for the fear of death
  • How to help people move beyond unrealistic hope to greater acceptance of death

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 supporter John Kuntz for increasing your monthly pledge! Your contributions make all the difference!

EOLPodcast

Ep. 309 A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion with Joseph Stern MD

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Learn how his sister’s illness and death made this neurosurgeon a better doctor.

My guest Dr. Joseph Stern is a partner in the country’s largest neurosurgical group practice in Greensboro, North Carolina. While he has frequently worked with patients and families facing life-limiting illness, his experiences at the bedside of his sister during her nearly one-year ordeal with leukemia, changed everything for him. He shares how his own medical practice was affected by what he learned about the patient’s perspective on end-of-life care and how he envisions our medical system needs to shift in order to improve the care being offered to all patients. He is the author of Grief Connects Us: A Neurosurgeon’s Lessons on Love, Loss, and Compassion. Learn more about his work at his website:

www.JosephSternMD.com

Get the book here.

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The shock Dr. Stern experienced when viewing medical care through the eyes of a terminal patient
  • Why he wished his sister’s doctors had discussed her terminal prognosis with her
  • How to balance hope with reality when facing terminal illness
  • The additional lessons
  • he learned as healthcare proxy for his brother-in-law who suffered a brain aneurysm
  • The definition of “emotional agility” and why it should be taught to all medical students
  • How to improve empathy and communication skills for medical providers
  • Why palliative care should be started much earlier for all patients facing potential life-limiting illness
  • How Dr. Stern has changed his own approach to patients in light of what he has learned
  • How empathy and compassion can actually prevent burnout for medical providers rather than cause it

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! Your contributions make all the difference!

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 228 Training End-of-Life Doulas for the World with Suzanne O’Brien RN

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Learn how you can get involved (for free) as a host for World Training Day and spread the word about how to care for people at the end of life.

My guest today is Suzanne O’Brien RN, hospice and oncology nurse and the founder of Doulagivers.com. She discusses how end-of-life doulas will change death and dying now and in the future and how she started World Training Day in 2019 to meet the needs of communities around the world for end-of-life training. Learn how you can get involved this year and host an event on 4/20/2020. Get more information at the World Training Day website:

www.worldtrainingday.org

Download Suzanne’s handout:

wtdtipsDownload

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What is an “end-of-life doula”
  • Why death is not a medical experience but a human experience
  • How EOL doulas can help with the current and future caregiver shortage
  • 3 levels of training for doulas
  • How advance planning leads to a good end of life
  • How EOL doula training is useful for everyone, including teachers, navigators and hospice workers
  • Online training available for level 1 doulas through Doulagivers.com
  • Why presence is one of the greatest gifts we can give to patients at the end of life
  • How to get involved (for FREE) in World Training Day on 4/20/2020 – anyone can be a host; sign up by January 20, 2020
  • Where to host a WTD event and how you can benefit from being a host
  • The ripple effect of planting seeds about end-of-life issues

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 Patrons: Joyce Miller, Megan Carmichael, and Lynn; your contributions make all the difference!

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 222 The Benefits of Medical Hypnosis at the End of Life with Roger Moore

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Learn how hypnosis can help dying patients, their loved ones, and their medical providers find greater ease and less stress as they cope with the end of life.

podcastMoore

My guest Roger Moore is a medical hypnotherapist who frequently works with patients at the end of life and their caregivers. He’ll discuss how he utilizes hypnosis to help ease symptoms for his patients and share tools that all of us can use to deal with stress. Learn more about Roger’s work at his website:

www.hypnosishealthinfo.com

Download “Orange Blossom” mp3 here

Listen here:

 

This episode includes:

  • What is “medical hypnosis”
  • What happens in a typical session of hypnosis
  • The “wiggle” technique for returning to the present moment
  • How hypnosis benefits both patient and caregiver
  • How hypnosis helps with the fear of death and dying
  • The “flow through” technique to prevent taking on the suffering of the patient
  • How self-hypnosis tools can help healthcare providers deal with stress, grief and guilt
  • Hypnosis as a tool for learning mindfulness
  • When is the best time to recommend hypnosis as an end-of-life tool
  • Hypnosis can help patients reduce their need for pain medication
  • “Orange Blossom” recording for stress relief

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 Patrons: Gail Clemson, and Kathy Bates; your contributions make all the difference!

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 215 Death’s Big Tent: Making Room for Every Point of View

kwyattmd

Learn how culture affects the way people view, talk about, and plan for death and dying. 

PodcastBigTent

As we work to promote death awareness and death positivity in society it is important to remember cultural differences that may influence how others view the end of life. We need to have room in our approach for diverse belief systems and traditions in order to best meet the needs of all members of the communities we serve. 

Listen here.

 

This episode includes:

  • The difference between individualistic and collectivistic perspectives on life
  • Cultural reasons why discussing illness and death is frowned upon
  • Different styles of end-of-life decision-making
  • Reasons why minority groups have low rates of completion of advance directives
    • Distrust of healthcare system
    • Past or current healthcare disparities
    • Cultural perspectives on death and suffering (e.g. aggressive treatment equates with love)
    • Spiritual perspectives (e.g. only God determines the end of life)
    • Family dynamics
  • Culturally sensitive approach
    • Be open-minded
    • Be aware of potential cultural/religious/societal differences
    • Consider alternative discussions with family members rather than patient
    • Ask what a “good end of life” looks like to them
    • Ask what hope means to them
  • Sources of hope

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 Patreon.com/eolu, your contributions mean  everything to me!

End of Life, EOLPodcast, Spirituality

Ep. 214 Present Through the End: Spiritual Care of the Dying with Kirsten DeLeo

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Learn why being present for others is actually a perfect self-care practice.

PodcastDeLeo19

My return guest Kirsten DeLeo is an international trainer with the Spiritual Care Program and teaches about contemplative caregiving. She is the author of the newly-released book Present through the End and will discuss how and why we should strengthen our own ability to be present with others as part of our spiritual care of the dying. Learn more at Kirsten’s website:

www.kirstendeleo.com

presentthroughtheend

Get the book here.

Listen here.

 

This episode includes:

  • Dying is a spiritual process more than it is a medical process
  • How to prepare to become a caregiver for someone else
  • How to increase our own ability to be present with another
    • Slow down
    • Be mindful of our own breathing and physical presence
    • Be mindful of our thoughts and feeling
    • Listen without thinking of what to say next
    • Focus on heart-centeredness
  • Caring for ourselves and caring for another are not separate
  • Being present with another person for even a few moments nurtures us and helps alleviate our stress
  • Examples of questions to ask as conversation openers
  • Signs that death is drawing near

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 Patreon.com/eolu, your contributions mean  everything to me!

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 208 Nothing to Do: A Film About Everyday Miracles at the End of Life with Mike Kravinsky

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Learn about a feature film that traces the story of a family’s conflict and ultimate resolution as their father reaches the end of life.

PodcastKravinsky

My guest Mike Kravinsky is the writer and director of this feature film that was inspired by his own father’s end-of-life journey. He discusses why and how he created the film and the impact it is having on viewers across the country. You can view this award-winning film, Nothing To Do, on Amazon Prime, iTunes and the Dish Network and it is also available for borrowing from local libraries.

Connect with the film on Facebook.

nothingtodocover

View the film here.

Listen to the podcast:

 

This episode includes:

  • The growing interest in feature films that focus on death and grief
  • How nothing prepares a person for caring for a loved one at the end of life
  • How this film accurately portrays family tension and conflict when dealing with end-of-life decisions
  • The importance of having conversations about these decisions earlier during the end-of-life process
  • How Mike turned real life experiences into a fictional movie
  • What some end-of-life films get wrong about the dying process, which consists of a great deal of waiting and uncertainty
  • How the film portrays the beauty of dying at home with hospice care
  • How being present for the death of a loved one helps us with our own fears of death
  • Why Nothing to Do would be a great choice for an end-of-life film night

Links mentioned in this episode:

Art of Dying Author Series_ September 6, 2019 7-8_30 pm

Join me in New York in September!!

 

 

 

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Thanks again to all supporters on Patreon.com/eolu, especially my new patron, Jean Berman–your contribution means  everything to me!