The authoritative, informative, and reassuring guide on end-of-life care for our aging population. Most people say they would like to die quietly at home. But overly aggressive medical advice, coupled with an unrealistic sense of invincibility or overconfidence in our health-care system, results in the majority of elderly patients misguidedly dying in institutions. Many undergo painful procedures instead of having the better and more peaceful death they deserve. At Peace outlines specific active and passive steps that older patients and their health-care proxies can take to ensure loved ones live their last days comfortably at home and/or in hospice when further aggressive care is inappropriate. Through Dr. Samuel Harrington's own experience with the aging and deaths of his parents and of working with patients, he describes the terminal patterns of the six most common chronic diseases; how to recognize a terminal diagnosis even when the doctor is not clear about it; how to have the hard conversation about end-of-life wishes; how to minimize painful treatments; when to seek hospice care; and how to deal with dementia and other special issues. Informed by more than thirty years of clinical practice, Dr. Harrington came to understand that the American health-care system wasn't designed to treat the aging population with care and compassion. His work as a hospice trustee and later as a hospital trustee drove his passion for helping patients make appropriate end-of-life decisions.

Does grief still grip your heart whenever you think about the loss of a beloved animal? Or, when you anticipate losing an animal that is starting to decline? Losing our animals is one of the most difficult parts of loving them. In Peace in Passing, Maribeth Decker debunks the myths about animals' passing which leave us crippled with grief, unable to find peace. She offers instead a roadmap to support you as you negotiate the treacherous path we walk before, during, and after our animals' transition. This book will help you find peace amidst the enormous loss of your beloved animal companion. This second edition is expanded to include information on ways to ease their physical decline; energetic techniques to connect you with your animal; and how to view the timing of their death through a spiritual lens.

A biography of a young African-American man who escaped the slums of Newark for Yale University only to succumb to the dangers of the streets when he returned home.

Making Peace with Death and Dying dissolves death anxiety and equips readers to encounter death peacefully and well-prepared. Readers learn to: appreciate death as a natural part of life, be of greater service to the dying and grieving, live with greater purpose and passion, be more peaceful in the presence of death, and to approach death on one’s own terms with wisdom and competency.

From a longtime end-of-life "midwife," a practical guide to navigating the transition from life to death. Fersko-Weiss recounts beautiful stories that show that dying doesn't need to be as bleak and soul-wrenching as we think. It can be meaningful and even life-affirming. The doula approach to death offers opportunities to explore the meaning of life and to convey that meaning through legacy work. Based on the model of care provided by birth doulas, it emphasizes thoughtful planning for how the last days of life should look, sound, and feel, and calls for around-the-clock vigil care, which provides emotional and spiritual support for both the dying person and their loved ones.

Biographies of sixteen peacemakers who made a difference in the world.-- Provided by publisher.

As human beings, we are not immortal. Life comes with an expiration date and sooner or later we are all going to pass away, often without warning or time to prepare. To help prepare for the end of life, Rest in Peace is a pre-death planning guide; whether it be for your own demise or the death of someone whose end-of-life affairs you may need to attend to. Rest in Peace is a book everyone must have. It contains guidance and tools: For those who want (or need) to put their affairs in order before they die And for those who will need essential information in order to effectively deal with the consequences of a death in the family. One of the most important items in this planning guide is a comprehensiveworksheet for collecting vital, personal information that will greatly benefit your survivors. Rest in Peace contains templates of important documents that can serve as valuable tools to help you put your affairs in order before it's too late. These include: A Will Durable and Medical Powers of Attorney An Advance Directive And an Out-of-Hospital Do-Not-Resuscitate Order, all designed for easy understanding and completion. All templates are available on the web at www.confrontingdeath.com. By heeding the guidance and directions that Rest in Peace contains, you can help guarantee that your survivors are taken care of, know your wishes, and know what to do when you die. By putting your personal affairs in order and providing your survivors with essential information--including your wishes concerning the disposition of your possessions and your desires regarding the handling of your remains--you can greatly lessen the burden on those you leave behind.