End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 175 The Highlights of 2018 and What’s New for Next Year!

Learn about the best of EOLU in 2018 and how to catch up if you missed any of these events!

PodcastNewYear

“Death Education for Everyone” was the theme for 2018 and we’ll review all the great educational content that was provided in the past year. It’s not too late to listen in on the best webinars and interviews of the year before we get started on a brand new season of EOLU! Check out the links for the events you’ve missed in the description below.

Happy New Year to each and every one of you!

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

BIG NEWS!! Starting in 2019 the EOLU Interview Series will merge with the EOLU Podcast – so all the great interviews you are used to hearing on the interview series will now be available as podcast episodes. This means you can subscribe to the podcast and listen to the interviews on your phone while you are on the go! In addition you’ll be able to hear the solo episodes (like this one) where I share my wisdom, inspiration, and ideas for embracing the end of life and living fully today.

You can subscribe to the podcast at one of the following links (whichever podcast app you use):

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts (Click “View in iTunes” then click “Subscribe”)

Subscribe on Stitcher

You can also listen to the episodes at www.eolupodcast.com.

Thanks for all of your support in 2018! I appreciate you for listening in and encouraging me to keep going. And I’m especially grateful to those of you who have become patrons on my donation page at Patreon.com/eolu: you make my heart sing!

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

2018 has been a wonderful year for EOLU that began with a goal of supporting “Death Education for Everyone.”  In support of that goal the following programs were created:

  • A Year of Reading Dangerously online reading group; we’ve read one book a month this year and held 9 live book discussions with authors of the books in attendance. Nearly 1,000 readers from around the world have joined together to read the same book at the same time. We’ve all learned a lot about death, dying and the afterlife and have had fun in the process!

View the books and discussions from 2018 here.

Join the reading group here (if you haven’t already signed up!)

  • Teaching Guidelines for a Death and Dying Class – this free pdf was made available to hundreds of people interested in teaching about end of life issues. You can still get the Guidelines here.
  • Workshop on How to Teach a Death and Dying Class successfully helped launch dozens of classes around the country and culminated in 5 students creating online webinars, which you can view here.
  • Promoted Cathy Zheutlin’s new film “Living While Dying” as an excellent tool for teaching community members about death and dying. Learn more about the film here.
  • Co-hosted 3 teaching webinars that were very well received. If you missed these there’s still time to watch:
    • “End-of-Life Doula Training for Caregivers and Volunteers” with Suzanne O’Brien of Doulagivers.com. View the webinar here.
    • “Bridge Time: The Consequences of Change” with Jane Barton of Cardinalife.com; she talks about how caregivers can become more resilient in the face of change. View the webinar here.
    • “Collaborative Care for Caregivers: How to Ask for Help” with Jane Barton. View the webinar here.

The “best” interviews of 2018 (though they were all fantastic!);

  • Hansa Bergwall talking about the WeCroak app he created for smart phones that reminds you of your mortality 5 times a day.  Listen here.
  • Dr. Bob Uslander who has pioneered a new concierge model of end-of-life care, which could be a game-changer for the medical system and how we help patients navigate their last days. Listen here.
  • Alua Arthur of Going With Grace talked about the legal issues that can occur after death and how to prepare for them in advance. Listen here.
  • Deanna Cochran RN and Suzanne O’Brien RN both talked about the creation of the End-of-Life Doula Council by the NHPCO and the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance, which now provides certification training for doulas. Listen to Deanna’s interview here. Listen to Suzanne’s interview here.
  • Cheryl Jones of Good Grief Radio Show talked about end-of-life issues and the LGBTQ community. Listen here.
  • Jonathan Bartels RN discussed The Medical Pause which he initiated to show respect after the death of a patient at his hospital and has now spread around the world! Listen here.
  • Michael Hebb talked about founding Death Over Dinner. Listen here.
  • Joe Primo of Good-Grief.org discussed helping children with grief and how to include them in the experience of death and dying. Listen here.

For 2019 I’ll still be focusing on education as the primary goal of EOLU along with collaboration with other change-makers and this unifying message:

Let’s do dying and death better!

  • A Year of Reading Dangerously will continue! View the book list here.
  • There will be another workshop on How to Teach a Death and Dying Class (stay tuned to future podcasts for more information)
  • More webinars (TBD)
  • Speaking engagements (announcements coming soon)

Thank you for listening to the podcast and for leaving reviews on iTunes (they make a big difference!)

Tune in every week for a new episode! Until next time remember:

Face Your Fear         BE Ready          Love Your Life

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End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 165 Part 4: The Palliative Care Team Chaplain with Stephanie Ryu

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ProvidenceRyuITIn Part 4 of our series on palliative care I share an interview with Stephanie Ryu a palliative care chaplain. She’ll discuss her role providing spiritual support to patients with advanced illness. 

Learn more about palliative care here.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

madrid-2713916_640My awesome Spain trip is at an end as this episode airs and I’ll be making my way back to Colorado! You can check out all of my pictures on Instagram at kwyattmd!

Tune in next week to hear my stories from Spain!

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

In this presentation Stephanie Ryu will discuss her role as a chaplain on the palliative care team.

You will learn:

  • How the work of a palliative care chaplain differs from other chaplaincy work
  • The role of spiritual care in the whole-person approach to illness and healing
  • The importance of spirituality at the end of life
  • How chaplains assist patients of all religions and those who follow no religion

Stephanie Ryu is a graduate of St. Xavier University and Fuller Theological Seminary. She completed CPE Residency at Providence St. Joseph – Burbank in 2012-13 along with a 6-month fellowship in hospice and palliative care. She now serves as a Palliative Care Chaplain for Providence Health and Services.

Tune in next week for a brand new episode!! If you like this content consider leaving a review on iTunes.

Until next time …

Face Your Fear         BE Ready         Love Your Life

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End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 164 Part 3: The Palliative Care Team Social Worker with Andrea Strouth MSW

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ProvidenceStrouthIn Part 3 of our series on palliative care I share an interview with Andrea Strouth MSW a social worker on the palliative care team. She’ll talk about her role on the team to help us understand why social workers play an important part in the care of patients with advanced illness.

Learn more about palliative care here.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

sagrada-familia-392009_640At the time of this broadcast I’m still enjoying my Spain trip – probably eating some tapas in Barcelona! I’ll be returning home in a few weeks but meanwhile check out my photos on Instagram at kwyattmd!

 

 

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

In this presentation Andrea Strouth LCSW, MSW will discuss the role of the social worker on the palliative care team.

You will learn:

  • The duties of the palliative care team social worker
  • Why palliative patients might need social work services
  • How the multidisciplinary palliative care team functions as a unit
  • The rewards of working on a palliative care team

Andrea Strouth received her MSW from the University of Pennsylvania. She is currently working at Providence Health & Services-Southern California to help develop their outpatient palliative care program. Previously, Andrea worked at the Abramson Cancer Center at Penn Medicine and in the Medical and Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Units at Hahnemann University Hospital in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Her passion lies in advanced care planning and education surrounding end-of-life issues to ensure patients feel empowered in every aspect of their care.

Tune in next Monday for Part 4 of this series. If you find this content helpful please share it with other and consider leaving a review on iTunes! Also your contributions to my page at Patreon.com/eolu are always appreciated!

Until next time …

Face Your Fear         BE Ready           Love Your Life

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End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 159 How to Make Difficult End-of-Life Decisions for a Loved One

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purposequestionIn this episode I share my thoughts on how to approach the very difficult task of making an end-of-life decision about the treatment a loved one should receive. Many people are called upon to be decision-makers in these challenging situations and this episode serves as a guide for choosing the best option for someone we love. Download the handout below:

Guide for Difficult EOL Decisions

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

This episode is sponsored by Suzanne O’Brien and her training program for caring for others at the end of life at Doulagivers.com and by your generous donations on my page at Patreon.com/eolu! Join the team and receive special bonuses as a thank-you!

Thank you to all of my patrons and sponsors! Your support means everything to me!

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

Download the handout here:

Guide for Difficult EOL Decisions

Every day families are called upon to make nearly impossible decisions about the type of care a loved one should receive as they near the end of life. Here are some suggestions for how to navigate this challenging situation when there is no advance directive available for guidance:

  • Gather medical information from all healthcare providers involved in care
  • Ask direct questions:
    • What is the diagnosis and what complications have occurred?
    • What is the effectiveness of the recommended treatment?
    • What are the chances for recovery or improvement?
    • Are there side effects from the treatment or will it cause additional suffering?
    • What will happen if treatment is stopped?
    • What would you do if this were your loved one?
  • Get expert advice and guidance from a palliative care team if available in your hospital
  • Remember past conversations with your loved one that might give you clues as to his or her preferences for the end of life
  • Consider the statistics that most Americans prefer to die at home and most do not want aggressive treatment to prolong life in the face of an incurable condition
  • Ask your loved one for guidance by expressing your concern and your desire to make the best decision. Even though your loved one cannot verbalize, they can hear you – listen for any intuitive or “felt” guidance that might come to you about the best choice to make.
  • Be gentle with yourself and recognize that you have done your best in a challenging situation
  • Seek support from others outside your family

Tune in next week for another episode! Share this content with others who might it helpful and consider leaving a review on iTunes.

Until next time …

Face Your Fear        BE Ready         Love Your Life

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End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 139 The One Question You Need to Answer to Jumpstart Your EOL Planning

Learn how answering just one question can simplify your decision-making process for end-of-life planning.

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slide01In this episode I’ll share how one simple question helped clarify my Mom’s end-of-life wishes and why I recommend starting there to put your own advance care planning into the proper perspective. This episode is sponsored by my course “Step-by-Step Roadmap for End-of-Life Planning.

Learn more about the course here.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

You can still join my online reading group for 2018 “A Year of Reading Dangerously” and read a book each month on death, dying and the afterlife. Sign up here.

Thank you to all of my supporters on Patreon.com/eolu! Your donations mean a lot to me!

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

Putting our wishes for the end of life into writing is more complicated than it seems. We can easily get lost when we start to consider all of the options available and make decisions about what we do or do not want for care during out last days.

When my mother was trying to complete her living we finally found a simple way to clarify what really mattered to her. I asked her to tell me how she wanted it to be when she was taking her last breaths in this life. And she answered right away: “I want to be in my own home with you taking care of me.”

That one question changed everything for us and her answer guided all of the decisions that we made together as a family for the next five years before her death. I have spent time thinking about the one question myself and it is clear to me that the only thing that will really matter to me when I am ready to die is love. I will want to be as near as possible to the people I love.

You can use this one question too:

  • Imagine your last moments of life: how do you want it to be?
  • Describe what you see in positive terms first: Who is with you? Where are you?
  • Keep it simple to avoid being overwhelmed. Just a few details are all you need to describe.
  • Finally add your 2-3 absolute DO-NOT’s to the picture. What do you definitely NOT want to have happen during your last moments? Again – limit the number to those things you feel strongest about. Your family will remember 2-3 requests but not 10-12.

Start talking now about your positive vision for your final moments and let your family know what you envision. When you engage them in your vision they are more likely to help  you create it. They will have had time to think about your vision and to imagine themselves being part of it.

No matter what start thinking about the end of life now. It’s never too soon to get your plans in order! Consider signing up for the Step-by-Step Roadmap for End-of-Life Planning if you’d like to have a doctor by your side as you make decisions for yourself!

Other related episodes you might like to hear:

Ep. 105: Choosing the Right Healthcare Proxy

Ep. 103: The Truth About CPR: Exposing the Myths

Ep. 81: Let’s Talk About It: The Conversation Project with Dr. Jessica McCannon

Remember there will be a new episode next Monday! If you enjoy this content please consider leaving a review on iTunes (Thanks!!).

Until next time …

Face Your Fear            BE Ready             Love Your Life

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Aging, End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 135 How to Practice Minimalism at the End of Life

Learn how a minimalist lifestyle can help you find more joy and meaning as you approach the later days of life.

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minimalistIn this episode I share my thoughts on why the minimalist lifestyle could help us avoid excessive and unnecessary medical treatment at the end of life. In addition there are many other benefits to living simply and with “less is more” as our goal when we get older.

Read the companion blog here.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

You can still join A Year of Reading Dangerously and confront your own discomfort about death, dying and the afterlife by reading one “dangerous” book each month in 2018! Sign up here!

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Get the Teaching Guidelines for a Death & Dying Class and you’ll be on the mailing list to learn about the next class on creating your own course in death and dying coming up soon! Sign up and download here!

 

I’m so grateful this week to my latest supporters on Patreon.com/eolu! Thank you so much to Glenda Myles, Malynda Cress, Karen Britton, Mila Martin, and Tami Yinger! Your generosity means so much to me! If you want to join them go to Patreon.com/eolu to learn more about the bonuses you’ll receive for signing up!

FEATURE PRESENTATION:

The minimalist movement is all the rage right now among millennials and it has a lot of positive aspects we can learn from. The emphasis is on living simply, with less material possessions in order to have more joy and freedom in life. This lifestyle could serve us well as we approach our own end of life. Here are some ways to live more simply:

  • Clear out possessions that you no longer use or cherish. This idea has been described in a recent blog and book about the Swedish practice of “death-cleaning.”
  • Comes to terms with mortality. Recognize that life is finite and death is inevitable, therefore it is important to be intentional about how you live each moment in every day, including what kind of healthcare you choose.
  • Take control over your healthcare – be proactive and question recommendations in these areas:
    • Medications – Ask if the drugs you are taking are still necessary, if they could be causing side effects or creating negative interactions with one another. Ask if you can try reducing dosages or the number of medications you are being prescribed. Many seniors are taking at least 5 prescription medications according to studies.
    • Annual examstudies show that the annual physical exam wastes money and time and might even be harmful. Ask if you can decrease to one physical every 3 yeats.
    • Health screenings – Over age 70 it is no longer recommended that you have the following screening tests: colonoscopy, mammogram, PSA, pap smear. Studies show that excessive screening can lead to false positive results, over-diagnosis and harmful over-treatment.
  • Plan ahead and be prepared in order to minimize complications in these areas:
    • Aging – How will you manage the physical changes of later life? Who will help you?
    • Housing – Where will you live if you can’t stay in your own home?
    • Terminal care – What type of treatment do you want to receive at the end of life and for how long?
    • After-death care – What type of funeral and burial do you want to have?
  • Learn to live in the moment – so you can enjoy all of life.
  • Focus on what really matters – to help you eliminate the things you no longer care about.
  • Find purpose and meaning by living simply and with intention for the rest of your days.

Remember to tune in every Monday for a new episode! If you enjoy this content please subscribe and leave a review on iTunes!

Until next week remember …

Face Your Fear           BE Ready          Love Your Life

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