How To Prepare For A Good End Of Life
Death is not something we need to fear. In fact, many people are able to die well because they think about it and plan for it ahead of time. Learn more about how to prepare for a good end of life in this week's Changing Lives Podcast.
Myths and Misconceptions About Hospice Palliative Care
There are a lot of myths, misconceptions, and misunderstandings about hospice palliative care that can prevent people from getting the care and support they need when they need it. Clear out the misunderstandings and find out what hospice palliative care is really about in this week's Changing Lives Podcast.
End of Life Comforts
Comfort care is an essential part of hospice palliative care. It’s a complimentary kind of care that helps or soothes a person who is dying. The goal of comfort care, is just that, is to prevent or relieve suffering as much as possible while respecting a dying individual’s wishes. Learn about comfort care during end of life in this week's Changing Lives Podcast.
Creating a Legacy Project
Legacy projects are projects or activities you do to honour the life of a loved one. In this week's Changing Lives Podcast we offer some tips and ideas for creating a legacy project.
Surprise, You’re Going To Be A Caregiver
Becoming a caregiver can happen gradually without you even noticing it – you start calling more often, you cover more of the chores at home, you pick up their prescriptions – or it can happen quite quickly – they are given a diagnosis with a poor prognosis or they take a damaging fall, requiring urgent treatment and full-time care. In this week's Changing Lives Podcast we offer up some suggestions to help you adjust to being a caregiver.
Four Facets of End of Life Care
People who are dying need care in four areas—physical and practical help, mental support, help for emotional needs, and processing spiritual issues. Quality hospice palliative care should address the needs of all four areas. Listen to this week's podcast to find out how to give care in each of these four areas.
Tips for Caregivers
According to Statistics Canada, in 2018 an estimated 25 percent of the population provided some form of long-term caregiving to a loved one. As those with illness face multiple losses and grief, and adjustments to a different life routine, so do caregivers. Caregivers may face losses such as the loss of a job, broken or challenging relationships, and having to learn to adjust to new caregiving routines and skills. Caregiving is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding, yet demanding, jobs a person will ever have. Listen to this week's podcast for some tips to help ease the burden of caregiving.
Healthy Aging and Advance Care Planning
September is Healthy Aging Month. Healthy Aging Month was created to empower people over the age of 45 to take charge of their lives, their health, and their passions. This is not just about eating right and getting exercise. It is also about planning ahead. This includes planning for your end of life care. It can be hard to do, but creating an Advance Care Plan could save you and your loved one’s stress and time should you develop a palliative illness or become unexpectedly incapacitated. Learn more about healthy aging and advance care planning in this week's podast.
Poor Communication is Compromising Care for the Dying
In a recent CARENET report, poor communication was cited as a contributor to compromised care for palliative patients. Find out how to improve communication at end of life in this week's podcast.
Death Doulas Provide Comfort at End of Life
Just as a birth doula advocates for and cares for mothers in their pregnancy and birth journey, death doulas advocate for and care for the dying in their final days and death journey. While the health care team attends to needs of the body, a death doula attends to the needs of the spirit and mind, and to the practical needs of both the client and their loved ones.
Demands of Caregiving on Older Adults
Caregiving is often a physically, not to mention emotionally demanding job. For those who are aging, this can have an even greater negative impact on health and general well-being than on younger caregivers.
Receiving Care in a Hospice Residence
A hospice residence is a home away from home where people come to live their final days. When a person enters a hospice residence, it allows their family to hand over all the intricate details associated with pain and symptom management and focus on being a family member or friend.