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Excerpt: 7 Care Tips for When Someone You Love Is Dying

Started by eKIM

07 Oct 2013, 2:57 AM

I found the following article on the website www.caregiverstress.com

7 Care Tips for When Someone You Love Is Dying

The author outlines suggestions on how to make the most of the time you have left with your loved one and elaborates on the following 7 points.

Acknowledge the elephant in the room.
It’s okay to express your emotions, even your sadness, in front of your loved one.
Your presence matters.
Create meaningful conversation.
Listen carefully for any messages your loved one would like to convey.
Find out answers to typical end-of-life questions.
Be mindful of legal documents.

Read more...

Do these resonate with you? What else would you add?

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Reply by JennJilks

17 Oct 2013, 12:45 PM

I would add that the power of a Life Review cannot be measured. It gives many of my clients peace. It gives people topics for conversation, and is not limited to my few questions.
In addtion, I suggest that families make funeral arrangement together. Several of my latest clients have done so in advance of dying.
Finally, writing one's own obituary can bring comfort to a person at end-of-life, since they can look back on all that they have accomplished.
These things give a purpose to communication. If the care recipient is comfortable, it provides some closure and healing for all. Too much focus is on the dying, not enough on what they have done, where they have been, who they are.
I created a slide show for a dear friend, who is now in late-stage spinal stenosis. She asked me to help her with this. You can watch it here. She is paraplegic. She was a nurse in coastal B.C. for 40 years.

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