A Staggering Fact AN ESTIMATED FIFTY-THREE MILLION AMERICANS, one out of every four people over the age of eighteen, are now providing care or assistance to a friend or family member, the majority without pay.1 In the coming years, as the wave of aging Baby Boomers crests, a Silver Tsunami will raise this astounding number even higher. Yet amidst the … Read More
Family Caregiving
“The best we can hope for in preparing a loved one for a good death, if there is such a thing, is to strengthen whatever sense of control he or she can retain over this most personal of passages…The most emotionally wrenching task for each family member is to find one’s own way to let go…We are the ones … Read More
Easing Fear and Anguish at End of Life
Our Mortal Fear of Death It’s only natural to fear the end of life and the great unknown. It’s in us. Yet so is acceptance. If you’ve completed an Advance Directive, then well done. You’re in the minority. If you haven’t, please be honest with yourself. Why not? What would need to change or take place to move in that … Read More
The Importance of “Code Status”
Surrounding the end of life, two simple words will guide our care. It’s essential to understand why our Code Status has such decisive authority – and then to talk about it. “What Exactly is Code Status?” When either our heart or breathing stops, which back in the day was called “death,” our Code Status is the ultimate authority in … Read More