Blogs

When Your Loved One Is Ready for Hospice Care – and You Aren’t

Many painful emotional issues face family members and friends when a loved one becomes terminally ill. These include communicating the diagnosis to others; overcoming denial that the person is, in fact, near death; feeling the need to "be strong" and hide their sadness for the benefit of the patient and others; dealing with anticipatory grief;

How to Talk to Your Children about End-of-Life Care

This period of time can be uncomfortable for all – which is why many families choose not to have the “tough conversation” about what the next steps are for a parent’s care. But, now is the time to talk to your children about end-of-life care. Learn more about how to get your children involved in

Impact of Early Palliative Care Varies Depending on Patient Age, Gender

A recent study examined the impact of early palliative care (EPC) on quality of life for patients with advanced cancer. The researchers wished to determine the effectiveness of EPC for the various advanced cancer demographic groups, such as age and gender. The investigators, based at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, compared patients

Hospice or palliative care volunteers find work rewarding

Bill Brunstad was interested in becoming a hospice volunteer for years. He read a book about the highs and lows of working on the front lines. He even took a class offered by HSHS St. Joseph’s Hospital’s Hospice team. But seeing his friend Jim Dimock in the grocery store gave him added incentive. Dimock told

Geripal: The Long Term Care Insurance Con Game

"You are getting older, and are concerned about the costs of nursing homes and long term care.  So, you decide to get expensive long term care insurance to protect your family from these costs.  The policy will pay some of the cost of long term care if you develop cognitive or physical disability.  All you

Geripal Blog: The Shortsighted Argument in Limiting Hospice Access

Description:  It feels like every passing day brings with it more news of an aggressive campaign to reign in the cost of Medicare hospice spending.  For instance, federal government investigations of hospices that enroll patients who live longer than 6 months have resulted in the death of one of the most important organizations in our

GeriPal: What a nursing assistant will tell us…if we ask

Description:  Posted: 29 Jan 2010 01:34 PM PST A friend recently forwarded me an update to a story first reported in the Washington Post in May 2009 about a home care nursing assistant, Marilyn Daniel. (Here’s the update). Using quotes and photographs, the author describes a typical day of visits—from transportation challenges to detailed, moving

Geripal Blog: “Thoughts on Preventative Medicine”

Description:  Tuesday December 1, 2009:  You can prevent Heart Attacks You can prevent Strokes You can prevent Colon Cancer You can prevent Cervical Cancer You can prevent Breast Cancer You can prevent Prostate Cancer Really? Well perhaps You can prevent Syphilis You can prevent the Friends of Syphilis You can prevent smallpox, polio, measles, mumps,

Geripal Blog: Social Workers Are Awesome

Description:  Social Workers Are AwesomePosted: 15 Mar 2010 02:00 AM PDT In 1927, Francis Peabody remarked that "The secret of the care of the patient is in caring for the patient." Medicine has made much progress since those days, but some might argue that some of the humanitarian cornerstones of caring that concerned Peabody have

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