End of Life

Hospice, palliative care, home-based care, hospital-based care and long-term care facilities are all viable end of life care options. Compare end of life care types, where they are provided, the benefits offered and how these services are paid for.

Frank discussions about final arrangements are wise to have at any age. Use these strategies to broach the subject and develop comprehensive funeral plans for yourself and your aging loved ones.

Family members are often relieved and hopeful when a dying loved one suddenly becomes more aware of their surroundings or begins talking or eating again. But, are they truly getting better or just consciously preparing for their final journey?

Dr. Sherwin B. Nuland, surgeon and award-winning author of “How We Die: Reflections on Life’s Final Chapter,” offers insights on aging, illness and controversial end-of-life care decisions.

Many people associate end-of-life care with treating physical pain and discomfort. While that is an important part, complete end-of-life care also includes helping the dying person manage mental and emotional distress.

It's hard to find the right words to comfort someone who is dying. Experts and experienced caregivers share their insights on what to say to someone who is terminally ill.

What happens when the person you care for dies and caregiving ends? For a family caregiver, relief after the death of a care recipient is a common yet conflicting occurrence.

This funeral arrangements checklist outlines the goods, services and logistics that are often included in a traditional funeral and/or memorial service. Many of these things can be pre-arranged and prepaid, lessening the strain on grieving family members.

The most noticeable symptom of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is memory loss, but this progressive condition ultimately weakens the immune system and prevents the body from functioning properly. Complications like infections are often the cause of death.

The goal of hospice is to provide comfort and dignity at the end of life. Some hospice providers are better than others, so be sure to know what criteria to look for when requesting hospice care for a terminally ill loved one.

Deciding whether to use a feeding tube is a complex matter, especially for older patients. Family caregivers should understand why and when tube feeding is appropriate in case they must make this choice for their loved one someday.

Learning the signs that death is near will help you prepare for this inevitability and ensure that your loved one gets the care they need to manage end-of-life symptoms and remain comfortable.

Caregivers and seniors may benefit from this little-known form of psychotherapy that targets the symptoms of prolonged grief and post-traumatic stress that can arise after a care recipient dies.

Bereavement groups are an important therapeutic tool for gaining information, outside support and coping strategies when dealing with loss. We’ve compiled experienced caregivers’ best tips for seeking support after the death of a loved one.

A letter of instruction is an informal estate planning document that clearly communicates instructions and desires that are to be handled after a person dies. It guides surviving family members through personal, financial and funeral information.

The slow and unpredictable progression of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias often makes it tricky for families and even doctors to determine when to bring in hospice. Use these guidelines to decide if a loved one is a candidate for end-of-life care.

Selecting a course of action at the end of life can be a complex task, but it must be done. Often a new diagnosis is the instigating factor in formally deciding on a plan.This can include a DNR, advance directive, living will, and/or VSED.

Should terminally ill patients be able to voluntarily end their life? There are many ethical implications regarding this hotly debated topic, but many proponents of the right-to-die stress how such a choice can help patients avoid unnecessary suffering.

Whether you are pre-planning your own final arrangements or you’re responsible for organizing someone else’s funeral or memorial service, there is one fundamental choice that will affect costs, timing and many other details: cremation or burial?

Grief is an inescapable part of caregiving. We mourn an aging loved one’s physical and cognitive losses as they decline and eventually mourn their death. Self-care is vital to a caregiver’s physical and mental health throughout the grieving process.