EOLPodcast

Ep. 348 My Living Obituary: Legacy Therapy at the End of Life with Maggie Gannon and Heidi Connolly

Learn about a new platform that helps people create their own obituary or legacy project to benefit their loved ones after death.

My guests are Maggie Gannon, an Adult Gerontology Clinical Nurse Specialist who started My Living Obituary, and Heidi Connolly, an author, musician and intuitive coach who helps people write their obituaries. Maggie created My Living Obituary to help palliative care and hospice teams increase quality of life and improve patient experience. Heidi helps people using the platform craft their own stories to leave behind as a legacy for their loved ones. Learn more about their work at these websites:

Maggie: www.mylivingobituary.com

Heidi: www.theobitwriter.net and www.heidiconnolly.com

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The evidence behind legacy therapy to enhance dignity at the end of life based on research by Dr. Harvey Chochinov
  • How telling our life story helps us find meaning in our existence
  • Legacy therapy helps improve quality of life and decrease depression for patients
  • Studies have shown that family members benefit from legacy therapy as well
  • Listening to patients’ stories has been shown to increase their sense of worth and value
  • How the legacy therapy platform can be incorporated into the intake process for patients and used to measure quality of life and bill for advance care planning
  • Tips for writing an obituary:
    • Just get started
    • You don’t have to be a good writer
    • Make lists of characteristics, preferences, stories
    • Find a good “hook” for the story
    • Include poems, music, videos
  • The benefits of having a guide and a platform to help people craft an obituary
  • Creating your own living obituary before you die helps unburden loved ones at the time of your death
  • How this platform allows unlimited space for obituaries, unlike newspaper obituaries
  • How clinical staff can use the platform to enroll new patients and assist them with the life review questions

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, Hospice

Ep. 221 Hospice and Palliative Care: Know the Difference

Understand the basic facts about hospice and palliative care, what they have in common, and what makes them different.

PodcastHospicePall

In this “EOL 101” episode I explain the difference between hospice and palliative care. This is an important piece of information for people making choices around end-of-life care and an area where there are many misconceptions. We all need to be well-versed in EOL options for our own needs and also so that we can help educate others. I’ll offer additional “explainer” episodes in the future!

Listen here:

 

This episode includes:

  • Who is on the palliative care (and hospice) team
  • Whole-person care is offered by both services
  • Who is eligible for palliative care
  • How and why to enroll in palliative care
  • The criteria for admission to hospice
    • Terminal diagnosis
    • 6 months from end of life
    • Forego curative treatment
  • Both hospice and palliative care provide symptom-based, comfort care that focuses on quality of life
  • The main differences between hospice and palliative care (including financial considerations)
  • Why you should choose both types of care if possible (first palliative then transfer to hospice)
  • Why some patients may not choose hospice care but should still opt for palliative care

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: Lisa Monroe, Deb Pazderka, Debbie Henkemeyer, and Molly Byock; your contributions make all the difference!