end of life Archives - Aging, caregiving and the journey through the second half of life

We will never allow isolation to carry the day…

May 3, 2020

In his article, Coronavirus requires physical distance in end-of-life care. But we won’t let isolation prevail, Rev. Thomas Ryberg, a chaplain resident at Albany Med in Albany, New York,…

New PDF Booklet: Conversations Near The End

September 23, 2018

“We wish it didn’t come to this, but it does. Someone you care about is at the end of their life. No one knows exactly when but everyone is clear about what’s happening. Now comes the hard part, the conversations…

If I Die First…

May 10, 2018

Aging parents face an uneven future in which one will be left behind. FD Reeves’ poem “Home in Wartime” contains two elegant and inspiring stanzas of instructions for both possibilities… From “Home in Wartime” By FD Reeves If I die…

Higher Levels of Depression in Married Caregivers

February 18, 2017

“We also found that caregivers who are married and caring for a family member with a diagnosis other than cancer, such as Alzheimer’s disease, had higher levels of depression,” says Debra Parker-Oliver, professor of family and community medicine at the…

We All Else Fails, Ride Motorcycles…

September 15, 2016

I have shared this deeply moving, three minute video with audiences throughout the United States and Canada. No matter how many times I’ve watched it, I am always inspired by the love and courage of these older adults who insisted…

Wishes

October 27, 2015

Aging is like a zoom lens. The longer we hang around, the clearer we see what matters. We also see what was worth a second look or might be included in a second chance. Anne Porter’s poem “Five Wishes” is…

The End of Life Dilemma

October 11, 2015

The question of how much care at the end of life is a dilemma with no easy answers. Ultimately, it is best approached by understanding the patient’s perspective within the context of his or her family: What does the patient…

Poetry and Aging Parents, Part 4

March 31, 2015

Adult children live in a bittersweet world of loss and gratitude regarding aging parents. Barbara Crooker’s poem All Saints Day captures this emotional mixture as it attends her mother’s leaving… All Saints Day By Barbara Crooker It’s one day past…

The Art of Holding Space…

March 30, 2015

Heather Plett’s insightful and moving article on holding space, What is means to “hold space” for people, plus eight tips on how to do it well, is a primer on the dance of compassion for those who are leaving as…

Honor Their Words…

March 2, 2015

At some point you have to be their voice. No one else can do it. This article by Dr. Mikkael Sekeres director of the leukemia program at the Cleveland Clinic reminds us that we are called to honor the words…