![]() In January 2008, I interviewed Khris Ford, Licensed Professional Counselor and founder of My Healing Place in Austin, Texas. She is an adjunct instructor at the University of Texas at Austin School of Social Work, where she teaches graduate level courses in grief and loss counseling. She is also a bereaved parent, and it is her personal experience of transformative grief following the death of her son, Stephen, in 1989 that fuels her passion for work in the field of grief, loss, and trauma. Khris, what got you into the work you are doing? I think what got me into the work, really, is a lifetime of life losses. I lost siblings as a child, my father abandoned us and I grew up curious about the fact that I saw some people
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![]() The following is a very interesting article by the Hospice Association of America, “Hospice Facts and Statistics,” which brings together a report by the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission (MedPAC) as well as information from other entities. I just have a few comments. All of us know that earlier access to quality palliative care and earlier entry into a hospice program is what will relieve the most suffering possible at the end of life. But because we are actually making baby steps in succeeding at ![]() I’ve never been diagnosed with a terminal illness (prognosis of 6 months or less) and I have no idea how it would feel to hear those words. I can only imagine it–based on all the families I have walked through this with as a hospice case manager and in going through this with my family. Both of my grandfathers, grandmothers and my mother all died from cancer. One of them lived for years after diagnosis, one for 1 1/2 years, 2 for several months and my mom lived just ![]() by Special Guest: Donna Belk As a hospice volunteer I am blessed to be included at the end of people’s lives. My daughters and friends sometimes ask me how I can do it …. thinking that it is icky or heart-wrenching. But to me I am the one receiving the benefit … not necessarily the person! As a volunteer I get to see many approaches to the end of life. The process of dying has a “life” of its own. No one is going to fail, and we really can’t do it ![]() As I was looking around for palliative care news and resources, I found this (‘incurable does not mean untreatable’) and I love it. The website is CancerCare. About CancerCare “CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization that provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer: people with ![]() by Special Guest: Dr. Mara Karpel, PhD Dear Dr. Karpel: My children accuse me of being negative and pessimistic. They say I always “see the glass as half empty.” I’m 67 and I feel that I’m realistic. I have several chronic illnesses and have had a hard life. What is there to be positive about? I’m writing to you at the insistence of my daughter, who wants me to ask if there’s any truth to the idea that my negativity may be the cause of some of the ![]() The field of palliative medicine is growing before our very eyes, just like my nephew Gavin. I just wanted to show you how fast. This article was written last year after the 2006 National Comprehensive Cancer Network convention and right before June 2006 when the AMA established Pain and Palliative Medicine as a sub-specialty, just like neurology or cardiology, etc. History is in the making with the emergence of palliative medicine and most people will not really know what it is or that they can have it for a very long time…that there is ![]() During the last couple of days I’ve been staying with a family, spending time with their mother. Throughout this time a lot has been going on and based on my observations, our discussions and their preferences, the family has decided she will be going to a personal care home tomorrow. Most people talk about independent living, assisted living and nursing home communities and many prefer the bigger institutions for a variety of reasons. For those who don’t, there is another long term living arrangement not often ![]() ‘Predicting’ someone’s death is an emotional topic. I’ll do my best to address it. Let me apologize in advance for my generalizations and for anything I may say that seems insensitive. And we all understand there will always be exceptions especially with this. “How could he have said that?” “You are not God.” “We’ve been told that the last 10 years.” “What if she doesn’t die and I have my family come from out of |
AuthorIn fall 2014, I moved some old blog posts here that I had written years ago from 2007 to 2010. Hope they are helpful. Archives
February 2010
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