In last week’s PBS Frontline show Being Mortal— based on the best-selling book of the same name, Dr. Atul Gawande discusses how his regrets over care he provided some patients, as well as the death of his own father, helped him to realize that the goal of medicine should not be a good death, but rather…
I was so delighted by the interest and conversations generated by Dr. Thomas Smith, Director of Palliative Care at Johns Hopkins, our guest speaker during our 7th annual lecture. His message to both physicians and individuals diagnosed with a life-limiting illness is to have the conversation about end-of-life plans long before end-of-life circumstances occur! With…
There are a number of U Tube videos and TED Talks regarding the “Death over Dinner” phenomenon which tries to normalize advance care planning; those important discussions we need to have with our loved ones about our wishes should we be in a car accident, and become unable to speak for ourselves, or be diagnosed…
I hope you will join me for our 7th Annual Lecture Series featuring Dr. Thomas J. Smith, Director of Palliative Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions. As part of our mission to provide the community with the best resources on end-of-life and palliative care issues, we will be hosting a community lecture with a complimentary luncheon on…
I originally wrote this blog in December four years ago. People still have many of the same misconceptions! Please won’t you share this message with your friends and family members so more people in our community can access the help and compassion they so desperately need? Let me know if you can think of more…
This week I am especially grateful for our wonderful community donors and supporters… …The Skidaway Island Baptist Church fitness group, taught by Hospice Savannah volunteer and trainer Patti Iott (kneeling), generously donated $2,145 towards our Demere Center for Living recently. …Supporter Beth Kinstler, of Avalon Antiques, will hold a vintage linen and jewelry sale (with mimosas!)…
Please mark your calendars and plan to attend our Tree of Light memorial gathering on Sunday, December 7th at 5:15 p.m. This year we will return to the grounds of Hospice House to pause and remember our loved ones. I appreciate our Full Circles staff’s careful thought and work that goes into creating a meaningful program:…
It is such an honor to work with our volunteers. Every day they give generously of their time, talents and compassion. We’re not supposed to have favorites (!) but without fail, our nurses, social workers, chaplains, and nursing assistants ask if volunteer Joe Marcus is available to help their patients! This kind, humble man has…
It seems that everyone is aware of ALS, sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, because of the recent explosion of social media coverage of the Ice Bucket challenges. That fundraising phenomenon has done much to bring attention to the cruel disease of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects nerve cells…
Last week, the Institute of Medicine published a 500-page report entitled “Dying in America” which grapples with the fact that most Americans have not documented their wishes for end-of-life health care, and makes practical suggestions on how to normalize these discussions and let them occur early – in fact even as early as 16 –…