Most people would rather die at home, surrounded by familiar sights and cared for by our loved ones, than in a hospital. But most of us, too, would be overwhelmed, even frightened, at the prospect of having to provide such caregiving. Of the many books available about death and dying, this is the first to explain in detail how caring for a dying loved one can be a life-expanding experience when done mindfully and from the heart. "At Home with Dying" is a practical guide the physical, emotional, and spiritual skills needed to care for someone who is terminally ill, based on the principles that guide the Zen Hospice Project of the San Francisco Zen Center. Merrill Collett explains step-by-step how to feed, clean, and take care of a dying person--in a way that benefits both patient and caregiver. The instructions, which include ancient wisdom teachings as well as modern practical nursing methods, include: Mindfulness skills Effective pain treatments Appropriate cooking and feeding techniques Household organization and visitor management Preparation for the moment of death Working with grief

"This will be the third edition of this title, heavily updated from the 1999 second edition"--

This “comforting…thoughtful” (The Washington Post) guide to maintaining a high quality of life—from resilient old age to the first inklings of a serious illness to the final breath—by the New York Times bestselling author of Knocking on Heaven’s Door is a “roadmap to the end that combines medical, practical, and spiritual guidance” (The Boston Globe). “A common sense path to define what a ‘good’ death looks like” (USA TODAY), The Art of Dying Well is about living as well as possible for as long as possible and adapting successfully to change. Packed with extraordinarily helpful insights and inspiring true stories, award-winning journalist Katy Butler shows how to thrive in later life (even when coping with a chronic medical condition), how to get the best from our health system, and how to make your own “good death” more likely. Butler explains how to successfully age in place, why to pick a younger doctor and how to have an honest conversation with them, when not to call 911, and how to make your death a sacred rite of passage rather than a medical event. This handbook of preparations—practical, communal, physical, and spiritual—will help you make the most of your remaining time, be it decades, years, or months. Based on Butler’s experience caring for aging parents, and hundreds of interviews with people who have successfully navigated our fragmented health system and helped their loved ones have good deaths, The Art of Dying Well also draws on the expertise of national leaders in family medicine, palliative care, geriatrics, oncology, and hospice. This “empowering guide clearly outlines the steps necessary to prepare for a beautiful death without fear” (Shelf Awareness).

Revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide with translations in 29 languages. After too many years of unfulfilling work, Bronnie Ware began searching for a job with heart. Despite having no formal qualifications or previous experience in the field, she found herself working in palliative care. During the time she spent tending to those who were dying, Bronnie's life was transformed. Later, she wrote an Internet blog post, outlining the most common regrets that the people she had cared for had expressed. The post gained so much momentum that it was viewed by more than three million readers worldwide in its first year. At the request of many, Bronnie subsequently wrote a book, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying, to share her story. Bronnie has had a colourful and diverse life. By applying the lessons of those nearing their death to her own life, she developed an understanding that it is possible for everyone, if we make the right choices, to die with peace of mind. In this revised edition of the best-selling memoir that has been read by over a million people worldwide, with translations in 29 languages, Bronnie expresses how significant these regrets are and how we can positively address these issues while we still have the time. The Top Five Regrets of the Dying gives hope for a better world. It is a courageous, life-changing book that will leave you feeling more compassionate and inspired to live the life you are truly here to live.

A Loving and Compassionate Guide to Talking With Your Family and Friends About Jesus Melody Rossi saw God work in the hearts of three close family members after she had nearly given up hope that they might believe before dying. As their hearts softened to the gospel message she witnessed their spiritual births. These experiences inspired Melody to write this practical book filled with hope, joy, and wisdom. When your friend or family member is facing death, here is the help you need to share Christ in loving, nonconfrontational ways. It will show you how to · Serve in ways that speak louder than words · Respond to signs of spiritual openness · Discuss matters of eternal importance · Cope with the ups and downs of this difficult time In addition, it offers you spiritual care, answering your questions about end-of-life issues, and addressing your grief and loss.

This in-depth description of life in a nursing/care home for 70 residents and 40 staff highlights the daily care of frail or ill residents between 80 and 100 years of age, including people suffering with dementia. How residents interact with care assistants is emphasised, as are the different behaviours of men and women observed during a year of daily conversations between the author, patients and staff, who share their stories of the pressures of the work. Living Before Dying shows a world where, in extreme old age, people have to learn how to cope with living communally.

When Susan MacLeod accompanied her 90-year-old mother through a labyrinthine long-term care system, it was a nine-year journey navigating a government within a heart in a system without compassion. Her family, much like the system, erected walls rather than opening arms. She found herself involuntarily placed at the pivot point between her frail, elderly mother's need for love and companionship, the system's inability to deliver, and her brother's indifference. She had also spent three years as a government spokesperson enthusiastically defending the very system she now experienced as brutally cold. MacLeod's tone is defined by a gentle, self-effacing humour touched by exasperation for the absurdities and the newfound wisdom around expectations.Dying for Attention is the latest memoir in the graphic medicine field, shelved alongside My Begging Chart by Keiler Roberts and Tangles by Sarah Leavitt. MacLeod includes helpful tips for communicating with nursing homes, as well as background research, to provide a larger context for this under-discussed experience.