Literature Review

The transformative power of art in palliative care patients Hardwood Paroxysm, by Shannon Bailey; 4/10/24 Art can often express what is difficult in words. ... Carles joined the program weeks before his death and after undergoing other treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy or immunotherapy. ... [His partner and mother of his twin daughters described,]  “The art therapy sessions were the most anticipated moment of the day during his stay in palliative care. For him, this was a way to express his feelings. A space for self-care, intimacy, meditation as well as connection with his closest beings.” [Read more for ...]

The Sunday Read: 'What deathbed visions teach us about living' New York Times Podcasts, 4/7/24 Chris Kerr was 12 when he first observed a deathbed vision. His memory of that summer in 1974 is blurred, but not the sense of mystery he felt at the bedside of his dying father. ... Kerr now calls what he witnessed an end-of-life vision. His father wasn’t delusional, he believes. ... Kerr followed his father into medicine, and in the last 10 years he has hired a permanent research team that expanded studies on deathbed visions to include interviews with patients receiving hospice care at home and with their families, deepening researchers’ understanding of the variety and profundity of these visions.

How to talk about death Maine Public Radio, by Jennifer Rooks and Cindy Han; 4/5/24 Talking about death is not easy. We'll discuss why stigma and discomfort can impede end-of-life conversations, for the person who may be nearing death as well as for friends and family members. We'll find out how to address the emotional and spiritual aspects of dying. And we'll discuss the more practical legal, financial and medical matters to handle before and after someone has died.Panelists: Julie Weiss, social worker, Hospice of Southern Maine; Dr. Paul Segal, nephrologist, assistant professor of medicine; helped create curriculum for end-of-life doula students, University of New England; Dr. Fernando Moreno, palliative care specialist; medical director, Hospice of Southern Maine

Incorporating bereavement into the continuum of careMedpage Today, by Charles Bankhead; 4/4/24... Despite being integral to high-quality, family-centered healthcare, bereavement support often is poorly resourced, even described as the "poor cousin of palliative care." ... To develop a framework for compassionate communities requires shifting bereavement care from "an afterthought to a public health priority," wrote Wendy G. Lichtenthal, PhD, of the University of Miami Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, and co-authors in Lancet Public Health. ... In an ideal setting, bereavement care begins with pre-death grief education, continues through the dying process and end of life, and transitions into community-based support and psychosocial services, as needed. .. The [continuum of care] model comprises five essential "pillars":

Bereaved Parent Support Study: Seeking Participants Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cancer, St. Jude Children's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; 4/2/24This program is offered as a research study examining three types of support for bereaved parents who have lost a child to cancer. The study is jointly sponsored by Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center/University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Cancer, St. Jude Children's Hospital, and Children's Hospital of Philadelphia; however, families need not have received care from one of these institutions. ...The counseling will be provided through videoconferencing and all activities for this study can be completed in [the participant's] home. ... There will be no charge for any support offered through the study. [Click on the title's link for more information.] 

Some prepaid funeral expenses to southern Colorado funeral home being investigated CBS TV 11 News, by Melissa Henry; 3/29/24A man and his wife wonder whether or not they will ever get more than $7,000 dollars back for prepaid funeral expenses after paying Return to Nature Funeral Home. Jon and Carie Hallford are at the center of an investigation in which they are accused of abuse of a corpse, money laundering, theft, and forgery after officials say 189 bodies were found improperly stored at a building tied to the couple’s business in Penrose.

Autism & Grief Project helps autistic adults navigate death and lossCision PRWeb, by Autism & Grief Project; 4/1/24 Launched by the Hospice Foundation of America and supported by the NLM Family Foundation, the project bridges resource gaps for adults on the autism spectrum. The Autism & Grief Project is an online platform supporting autistic adults as they navigate the complexities of grief arising from death and loss. Visitors can access free resources for adults, their families, professional support providers, and clergy members: austismandgrief.org.

Here’s what a doctor says actually happens when you die United Business Journal, by Nidhi Dhote; 3/26/24Death is the great equalizer; it’s a subject that intrigues and terrifies us in equal measure. Throughout human history, we’ve pondered what lies beyond the threshold of life, seeking answers in religion, philosophy, and science. Yet, despite all our advancements, the mystery of death remains largely intact. ... In this article, we’ll delve into what happens to our bodies when we die, as explained by medical professionals.

The grief you feel is realPsychology Today, by Rosemary K.M. Sword and Philip Zimbardo PhD; 3/25/24We might think grief is all the same. But there are many kinds. [This articles briefly identifies various kinds of grief, including the following:]

‘I’m kinder and more compassionate’: actor Greg Wise on men and grief The Guardian, by Tim Jonze; 3/24/24 How the tragic death of his beloved sister, Clare, gave Greg Wise a new outlook on navigating the end of life.  ... Wise is best known as an actor. He met [his wife, Emma] Thompson on the set of 1995’s Sense and Sensibility and has notched up more than 30 years in film and TV. But these days he has carved out a niche for himself as someone who wants to change the way we think, and talk, about the end of our lives. “Not having a proper relationship with one’s grief is one of the great ills of the world,” is how he puts it. "[Without] witnessing and accepting our own pain, we can’t have empathy – proper empathy. I don’t think we can see someone else’s suffering until we can see our own.”

Signs of end-stage Parkinson's disease Medical News Today; Medically reviewed by Heidi Moawad, MD, by Meara Withe; 3/18/24... Understanding the signs of end-stage Parkinson’s disease is crucial for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals alike. This article explores the physical health, mental health, and emotional dimensions of end-stage Parkinson’s, shedding light on what to expect and how to provide compassionate care during this demanding phase. Editor's Note: Hospice and palliative non-medical interdisciplinary team members need to understand disease-specific factors related to the patient's experience and the family caregiver's challenges. These include social workers, chaplains, counselors, and caregiver-oriented volunteers.  

Voices of Grief to host workshops for families victimized by funeral home Pikes Peak Courier, by Pat Hill; 3/18/24 In October, investigators with the Fremont County Sheriff’s Office discovered 200 bodies that had not been cremated but rather were improperly stored, many of them for four years. The owners, Jon and Carie Hallford, have been arrested and face 200 felony charges. Of 1,200 families affected, 190 of them were directly impacted. ... [Kathy] Sparnins, [filmmaker and producer of the documentary “Voices of Grief,”] who lives in Woodland Park, was recently contacted by the FBI Victim Advocacy Program to work the families whose deceased loved ones were taken to Return to Nature Funeral Home in Penrose.

When Medicaid comes after the family home The New York Times, by Paula Span; 3/16/24Federal law requires states to seek reimbursement from the assets, usally home, of people who died after receiving benefits for long-term care. ... The letter came from the state department of human services ... It expressed condolences for the loss of the recipient's mother, who had died a few weeks earlier at 88. ... Medicaid estate recovery means surviving family members may have to sell the home of a loved one to repay Medicaid, or the state may seize the property. Editor's Note: Please share this article with your hospice bereavement counselors. (Access might be limited, per NYT subscriptions.)