Category: End-of-Life

‘At Last I Found You:’ The Powerful Effect of Namaste Care

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month, and HPP will be joining organizations across the nation to raise awareness for hospice and demonstrate its importance. In our Hospice Perspectives Series, people share their stories of hospice care. While these stories do feature death, they also feature profound hope, compassion, comfort, and joy. They will touch your heart and provide invaluable insight into palliative care and the end of life.  This story is written by Joyce Simard, social worker, internationally recognized speaker, author, and creator of the Namaste Care™ program. In dementia care, stuffed animals and dolls are not for…

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What is Hospice?

Many misconceptions surround hospice care. Here are just a few examples of what hospice is, and how it is distinctive among modern medical disciplines.

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Adjusting to Loss: 6 Psychosocial Interventions for Intense Emotions

These psychosocial interventions have been designed to specifically address the intense emotions people feel while adjusting to loss. This post was adapted from Transitions in Dying and Bereavement: A Psychosocial Guide for Hospice and Palliative Care, Second Edition by Victoria Hospice, Marney Thompson, and Wendy Wainwright. Copyright © 2017 by Victoria Hospice. All rights reserved.  For someone mourning the loss of a loved one, life is full of reminders of the loss of the person who died. Day-to-day existence is full of triggers, and feelings arise unbidden and uncontrolled. The outward manifestation of emotions, such as tears, frequent sighing,…

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The Validation of Mrs. Trew

Creator of the Validation method for dementia care, Naomi Feil tells the story of an unforgettable older woman who was her childhood friend, and how she impacted her life and life’s work. Validation is a method of communication with people with Alzheimer’s and other dementias, developed by Naomi Feil in 1967. It has been adopted worldwide, and used to reduce stress, enhance dignity, and increase happiness. Caregivers who use the Validation techniques focus on the expressed feelings of older adults, rather than focusing on disorientation and confusion. Here, author Naomi Feil shares her inspiration for her…

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