If you are elderly and living alone, or a time-consumed caregiver for someone with a serious illness, you may find yourself removed from day-to-day interactions with others, leaving you feeling especially secluded and lonely. “People who are chronically lacking in social contacts are more likely to experience elevated levels of …
The answer might seem simple, but in the hands of Lesley Hazleton, the question takes us on a surprisingly humorous and thought-provoking journey into what it would actually mean to live forever. And whether we’d truly want to. A frequent TED.com speaker and ‘Accidental Theologist,’ Hazleton uses wit and wisdom …
Many of us know someone who provides care for a family member of friend who is sill, injured, disabled, or otherwise in need of assistance. Caregivers often need extra help from others, even if they may not ask for it.
More and more Americans turn to hospice care when facing a life-limiting illness, and of these patients, a growing majority have an illness other than cancer. This is according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), which recently published a report providing an overview of hospice care
Getting a restful night’s sleep is a challenge for many cancer patients. Pain from the cancer itself, fatigue and discomfort from chemotherapy, and medication side effects are just a few of the things that make sleep elusive for cancer patients. Worse, not getting enough sleep weakens the immune system and …
Do you have a “bucket list”? If so, did you know that it might be helpful to share it with your doctor? Many people have a bucket list, which is simply a list of things they want to do before they die. Named after the phrase, “Kick the bucket”, bucket …
The number of Americans using hospice care continues to grow every year, according to the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), which recently published a report providing an updated overview of hospice care in the U.S.
Gap Persists in U.S. Between End-of-Life Care Desired and Care Received One in eight bereaved family members report that the care their loved ones received in the last month of life was not in concordance with their preferences. Such perceived inconsistent care is likely to be accompanied by reports of …
Recognizing that it’s often hard to know what to say or do to help someone who is grieving the death of a loved one, Reader’s Digest published a list of “9 true stories that will show you what people going through a loss really need.”
Marilyn Colley, RN, CHPN Mother, Grandmother, Hospice Nurse, and Administrator Marilyn S. Colley started as an oncology nurse with a dream to become a hospice nurse, which she has been since 1994. She was certified as a Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse “CHPN” in 1996. “Hospice was always my heart’s …
