"Now I Lay Me Down...The Owner's Manual for the Dying Patient, Their Caregivers and Their Loved Ones" was written to help those with a terminal illness, and those who care for them, to improve the quality of their physical and spiritual life. It also gives guidance to the loved ones after death. During Mrs. Stringer's work as a hospice nurse she came to realize the importance of an open and honest relationship in the last months and days of a person's life. This is reflected in the book, as she has condensed an enormous amount of information in a straight-forward, easy to understand guide, while remaining sensitive and compassionate.

Christopher Kerr is a hospice doctor. All of his patients die. Yet he has tended thousands of patients who, in the face of death, speak of love, meaning and grace. They reveal that there is hope beyond cure as they transition to focus on personal meaning. In this extraordinary and beautiful book, Dr. Kerr shares his patients' stories and his own research pointing to death as not purely the end of life, but as a final passage of humanity and transcendence. Drawing on interviews with over 1,200 patients and more than a decade of quantified data , Dr. Kerr reveals why pre-death dreams and visions are remarkable events that bring comfort and exemplify human resilience. These are not regular dreams. Described as "more real than real," they frequently include loved ones long gone and mark the transition from distress to acceptance. These end-of-life experiences help patients restore meaning, make sense of the dying process and assist in reclaiming it as an experience in which they have a say. They also benefit the bereaved who get relief from seeing their loved ones pass with a sense of calm closure. Beautifully written with astonishing stories, this book, at its heart, celebrates the power to reclaim how we die, while soothing the bereaved who witness their loved ones go with unqualified grace.

Intractable illnesses such as advanced cancer, AIDS, and chronic progressive neurological diseases present health-care professionals with an array of symptoms and ethical issues that demand extensive exploration and consideration. As the quest for advances in symptomatology continues, it is imperative to disseminate and integrate the knowledge currently available in palliative medicine. The International Symposium on Current Perspectives and Future Directions in Palliative Medicine was held in Tokyo in October 1997 to provide health-care professionals with a multidisciplinary approach for improving comprehensive palliative care. With invited speakers from North America, Europe, and Japan, the symposium focused on standard management and clinical trials of control of symptoms such as pain and cachexia, ethics in palliative medicine, the economics of health care, quality-of-life research, management of depression, and patient education.

Death strips away all of the superficial and mundane details of living and leaves behind life's bare essentials. Death is inevitable in life. It knows no boundaries. It knows no skin color, no financial or social standing. It knows nothing but itself. The paradox of Dying Declarations: Notes from a Hospice Volunteer is in its warm affirmation of life through the 'dying declarations' of patients who are peering into the cold face of death. The author reveals personal experiences about life, death, and the courage to strip away the unimportant aspects of life to make way for a clearer understanding on just what is truly important. Simple, moving stories invigorate and spark insightswhile discussing all aspects of hospice volunteering. By facing death on a regular basis, one can no longer maintain a tight grip on the masks, games, and trivialities that one uses to hide from truth. The person who looks death in the eye becomes more honest, grateful, compassionate, and humble. In Dying Declarations: Notes from a Hospice Volunteer, the author shares his experiences and the lessons he learned from the dying while working as a hospice volunteer. The stories, rather than being sad and depressing, present the author's hospice experience as being some of the most personally uplifting and enriching experiences of his life. In Dying Declarations: Notes from a Hospice Volunteer you will learn: about training for hospice work why hospice volunteers are at times more beneficial to the well-being of dying patients than family, clergy, or medical personnel the three basic tasks for a hospice volunteer how children and dogs can be beneficial for patients the impact that a dying patient can have on the life of a hospice volunteer words of wisdom about living life, directly from hospice patients Dying Declarations: Notes from a Hospice Volunteer will inspire and enlighten hospice volunteers, nurses, physicians, clergy, social workers or anyone who works for hospice or provides end-of-life care.

End-of-life decision making is often viewed from an academic perspective, which can obscure the debate's central human concerns. This guide introduces general readers to people with personal stakes in the right-to-die conundrum. Putnam provides practical assistance to readers and their loved ones, simultaneously incorporating the abstract and theoretical analysis essential to examining how we die in contemporary Western society. She also presents the backgrounds of the Hospice and Right-to-Die (Hemlock) Movements.

To elucidate the human side of the debate, Putnam profiles and interviews six important figures:

Dame Cicely Saunders, founder of the modern Hospice Movement

Derek Humphry, founder of The Hemlock Society in the U.S.

Herbert Cohen, an early leader in euthanasia circles in The Netherlands

Timothy Quill, whose assistance in a patient suicide resulted in a case before the U.S. Supreme Court

Joanne Lynn, founder of Americans for Better Care for the Dying

Jack Kevorkian (profiled, but unavailable for interview)

Another unique feature of this book is the application of philosopher Judith Jarvis Thomson's general theory of rights to the very specific right to die. Pointing to potential compatibilities between the two positions, she concludes that heroic compassion does not require a final choice between Hospice and Hemlock--there may be room enough for both.

None of the literature in the field of terminal care provides a full treatment of the laws, documents, and policies relating to the difficult issues arising at the end of life. When Life Ends was written to fill this gap by an attorney who serves on the bioethics committee of a large public hospital. It is an invaluable resource and practical tool for physicians, nurses, medical staffs, legal professionals, hospital administrators, and hospital bioethics committees because it provides: 1) in-depth legal commentaries on the refusal of life-sustaining treatment, advance directives, surrogate decision making, and the Patient Self-Determination Act; 2) more than 70 medical and legal documents to be used in connection with end of life decisions; and 3) hospital policies and procedures to suggest guidelines to hospital bioethics committees as they carry out their functions of developing policies and procedures to address end of life legal and ethical issues.

"I just wish I had armfuls of time." These are the words of a four year old facing a life-threatening illness. This text portrays the psychological experience of such children, who are irreversibly changed from the moment of diagnosis. Barbara Sourkes is a psychologist who specializes in psychotherapy with children who have cancer and other serious diseases. In the account, she describes how she works with these children, using drawings, soft toys and dolls, stories and real medical instruments to allow them to communicate their experience of the illness, the treatment they undergo, their relationship with their families, and their feelings of grief and loss in coming to terms with the prospect of death. Making use of the words of children, offering interpretations and practical advice, this is a book that should be useful reading for those concerned with the care of terminally ill children.

Hospice Care and Cultural Diversity captures the richness and differences that make up the United States and its culture. This book shows you the complex issues arising from work with patients of a different culture and encourages research in hospices which support culturally innovative programs. Many people are individually knowledgeable and culturally sensitive, but few hospices have systematically planned for service to culturally diverse groups. This volume identifies who is implementing organizational programs of cultural sensitivity and acknowledges the efforts of those individuals working to make hospice accessible to everyone.Hospice Care and Cultural Diversity contains original research, personal insights, and overviews to help you understand what is being done in the field. Specifically, chapters discuss: National Hospice Organization activities, goals, and recommended actions death and dying from a Native American perspective breaking barriers to hospice for African Americans a case study of the development of a culturally sensitive treatment plan in pre-hospice south Texas caregiving norms surrounding dying and use of hospice services among Hispanic American elderly cultural considerations surrounding childhood bereavement among Cambodians in the U.S. one hospice's experience in identifying and meeting the needs of ethnic minority patientsPeople from many different cultures are eager to share their customs, practices, and beliefs. They want hospice providers to understand their culture, and they want their community served by hospice. The only book of its kind, Hospice Care and Cultural Diversity is a valuable reference and source of ideas for anyone interested in the delivery of hospice services. From students to experts, you will find much information to help make hospice care accessible and comfortable for all groups of people.

This thoughtful new book presents strategies for helping end-stage renal disease patients and their families deal with the psychosocial aspects of the chronic long-term illness. Technological advances in the treatment of this disease have offered much hope for improved quality in living which has led caregivers to have a greater concern for preserving the quality of life of their patients. In Psychosocial Aspects of End-Stage Renal Disease leaders in the field of many disciplines share knowledge and reveal problems that are still evident to them in the confrontation with this potentially fatal illness.Five comprehensive sections devote special attention to the different areas of concern for the psychosocial well-being of end-stage renal disease patients. The impact of renal disease on family relationships is covered by examining issues of family responses and coping measures such as marital and family reactions to home and hospital dialysis treatment. Ethical issues in treatment are explored, including the ethics of treatment refusal and a Jewish perspective on kidney transplants. Relations between staff and patients and a timely section on renal disease and special populations, particularly the elderly and AIDS patients, make up the final two sections of this informative volume. Professionals in all allied health disciplines will benefit from this important volume as it demonstrates a model approach, if not the definitive one, for the treatment of the psychosocial aspects of end-stage renal disease as well as other chronic illnesses.

Teamwork is a complex but essential component of palliative care. The needs of people diagnosed with life threatening disease will vary greatly over time, and it is rarely possible for just one professional to be able to provide adequate care. In order to ensure an holistic approach, the whole multi-disciplinary team must be involved. Inevitable questions arise from such an approach, and this book seeks to address these. How does a team come into being? What different formats are there? How might the patient contribute to the effectiveness of their care and the way in which the team operates? What are the difficulties and frustrations encountered in developing and maintaining such teams? What models of working and styles of leadership have developed? How are power and authority handled within the team setting? The importance of team building, training, support, attention to group process, and stress management to protect the mental health of the team are explored. The ethical issues inherent in palliative care such as consent, autonomy, confidentiality, decision making within teams, and the legal implications of such are also discussed. The book concludes with one important question - do we know if teams are the most effective way of providing care? This book addresses key issues surrounding the role of the team in palliative care, and is an essential guide to reappraising the importance of collaborative teamwork, and enhancing understanding of existing team structures.

Over recent decades, tremendous advances in the prevention, medical treatment, and quality of life issues in children and adolescents surviving cancer have spawned a host of research on pediatric psychosocial oncology. This important volume fulfills the clear need for an up-to-date, comprehensive handbook for practitioners that delineates the most recent research in the field--the first of its kind in over a decade. Over 60 renowned authors have been assembled to provide a thorough presentation of the state-of-the art research and literature, with topics including:
-Neuropsychological effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy
-Bone marrow transplantation
-Important issues about quality of life during and following treatment
-Collaborative research among child-focused psychologists
-Standards of psychological care for children and adolescents
-Stress and coping in the pediatric cancer experience
-The role of family and peer relationships
The Comprehensive Handbook of Childhood Cancer and Sickle Cell Disease represents both multidisciplinary and international efforts, an alliance between physicians and parents, and a combination of research and service. With a wealth of information of great interest to patients and their families, this volume will also be a welcome resource to the psychologists, psychiatrists, pediatricians, oncologists, nurses, and social workers who confront these issues as they help children and their families through the treatment, recovery, and grieving processes.

Cicely Saunders is universally acclaimed as a pioneer of modern hospice care. Trained initially in nursing and social work, she qualified in medicine in 1958 and subsequently dedicated the whole of her professional life to improving the care of the dying and bereaved people. Founding St. Christopher's Hospice in London in 1967, she encouraged a radical new approach to end of life care combining attention to physical, social, emotional and spiritual problems, brilliantly captured in her concept of "total pain." Her ideas about clinical care, education and research have been hugely influential, leading to numerous prizes and awards in recognition of her humanitarian achievements. This book includes a selection of Cicely Saunders' most important writings throughout a period of over forty years.
Full articles, chapters, editiorials, reviews, and commentaries include important clinical themes relating to the care of dying people such as pain and symptom management, issues of communication and truth telling, and the needs of particular patient groups, such as those with cancer and other diseases. The book includes pieces that reflect on the wider development of the palliative care field and on policy and organizational issues. Some of the papers take up the theme of spiritual care at the end of life, as well as the question of euthanasia, raising in turn issues of a wider theological and philosophical nature.
The articles are written for a multi-disciplinary audience and will be of enormous interest to many professionals now working in palliative care. The collection will become a key work of reference for those interested in the evolution of hospice and palliative care and will serveas an important sourcebook of many currently hard to obtain publications by the acknowledged founder of the modern hospice movement. This book will also stand as a remarkable testimony to the personal contribution of Cicely Saunders and the influence she has had upon the modern field of palliative and end of life care.

Palliative and end of life care are an essential component of nursing practice. This book provides students with the key information they need to deliver effective and safe end of life care for patients and their families. Crucially, it also creates opportunities for them to reflect on their own perspectives on death and dying and explore the impact of this on their practice. Key features Fully mapped to the NMC standards of proficiency for registered nurses (2018) Helps you to develop a holistic understanding of the fundamental principles and practice of palliative and end of life care Activities encourage you reflect on your own perspectives of death and dying and to consider the impact this has on your practice Case studies bring the theory to life and illustrate the real world applicability

Fatigue in Cancer provides a comprehensive review of the key issues involved in the research and practical application of current evidence and best practice guidelines for addressing cancer-related fatigue. An international group of contributors draw together core topics relating to this complex area of cancer management, focusing on issues of definition, patho-physiology, treatment related variables and the psychological, social and emotional impact on patients, families and carers. Critical reviews of practical management strategies for both adults and children are included, as are the current approaches to the measurement of cancer-related fatigue in clinical and research contexts. The book contributes a multi-disciplinary overview of a problem increasingly overlooked by cancer scientists, researchers, and clinicians.
This book demonstrates the considerable capacity of cancer-related fatigue to impact on quality of life. Its multi-disciplinary focus and consideration of prioritised areas of future research will ensure that it will prove invaluable for all health professionals and researchers in oncology and palliative care.

Anyone suffering from a terminal illness faces huge challenges, not only emotionally and physically, but also in the range of practical decisions they need to make. In your own time guides the patient through the choices that exist in the current system of medical care, helping them decide on the kind of care they want, and where they receive it - in the hospice or the home. It includes chapters on coming to terms with their situation, the help available to them at home, how to choose between a hospice and home, and advice on coping with the inevitable feelings and emotions of both patient and carer. Written by a GP with extensive experience in this area, the book is unique in presenting both a compassionate and practical guide for anyone affected by serious illness, one that will empower them with the information they need to maintain the highest possible quality of life in their final days.

Fundamentals of Palliative Care for Student Nurses is a thorough yet accessible introduction and overview of a key area of the nursing programme. This textbook clearly explains the palliation of symptoms and the social context of death and dying. Engaging with the latest guidelines and curriculum, it highlights the practical and communicative skills required for induction programmes and continuing professional development. KEY FEATURES: * A full-colour, student-friendly, introduction to the essentials of palliative, or end of life care * A topical and timely subject area, explored clearly and concisely * Full of interactive pedagogy and features, including quizzes, multiple choice questions, vignettes/case studies and activities * Features a companion website with links to further reading, additional activities and resources, and self-testing interactive multiple choice questions Fundamentals of Palliative Care for Student Nurses focuses on this area with expert knowledge and compassion, preparing students in order to help them provide the best possible care for their patients and their families.

Dame Cicely Saunders was the founder of the Hospice Movement, in which Britain leads the world. Her work transformed our approach to the care of the dying, and also the debate about euthanasia. She died in 2005 and her memorial service was held in Westminster Abbey in March 2006. Over 1600 people attended. This biography, by Shirley du Boulay, includes a 4-page plate section and new chapters by Marianne Rankin covering the years after 1984.

Palliative care supports patients suffering from life-limiting illnesses by providing relief from physical, emotional and spiritual suffering, improving the quality of life for them and their families. It is an important component of good patient care, an integral part of the continuum of support for patients suffering with advanced cancer and end stage organ diseases. Providing good palliative care requires both sound clinical knowledge and compassion.With new chapters on end stage organ diseases, spiritual care and medical ethics, all healthcare professionals will find wisdom and practical advice in this book by the patient's bedside. The editors and contributors of the 2nd Edition of The Bedside Palliative Medicine Handbook have taken great care to provide readers with an evidence-based, updated guide to the practice of palliative medicine.

Nearly half of people at the end of life will receive hospice care, but few psychologists, nurses, physicians, chaplains, and hospice workers have been trained specifically to recognize and address the psychological, social, and emotional issues that may arise in patients who are dying. Patients in the midst of advanced terminal illness may experience a variety of distressing emotions, and may feel anxious, frightened, regretful, or desperate. This guide was created specifically to guide helping professionals of all kinds through the process of working through patients' psychological issues to allow them peace and comfort in their final moments.

The Helping Professional's Guide to End-of-Life Care clarifies the spiritual and emotional care that patients need and presents an evidence-based approach integrating cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), transpersonal psychotherapy, hypnosis, mindfulness, and guided imagery to help patients manage emotional distress at the end of life. Through case conceptualizations and detailed treatment planning guidance, readers learn to formulate comprehensive assessment and treatment plans for patients and gain skills that will help them manage the emotional intensity of this work. This secular, professional treatment model can be applied to patients of any religious or spiritual background. The book also addresses integrating the patient's therapeutic team with the medical team, addressing the emotional needs of friends and family of the dying, crisis intervention for suicidal patients, working with clients on psychotropic medications, and how helping professionals can manage their own emotions to become more effective clinicians.

Help families of institutionalized elders with this compassionate and practical manual.

Spirituality and Coping with Loss: End of Life Healthcare Practice describes a research study that reflects nurses' experience of the nature of loss encountered in end of life care settings as well as the ways in which spirituality is a resource in coping in these situations. Key findings indicate how nurses' spiritual development impacts their proficiency in spiritual care. These findings will be of interest to nurses and nurse educators as well as other healthcare professionals.

The concept of a "good death" has been hotly debated in medical circles for decades. This volume delves into the possibility and desirability of a "good death" by presenting the psychosocial measures of care as a crucial component, such as religion, existentialism, hope and meaning-making. The volume also focuses on oncologic psychiatry and the influence of technology as a means to alleviate pain and suffering, and potentially provide relief to those at the end of life. Such initiatives are aimed at diminishing pain and are socially bolstering and emotionally comforting to ensure a peaceful closure with life as opposed to a battle waged. Utilizing the most recent information from medical journals and books to present the latest on healthcare and dying today, this volume crosses the boundaries of thanatology, psychology, religion, spirituality, medical ethics and public health.