End of Life Resources.

In honor of my teleconference on Thursday, I'm going to post my favorite end of life resources, including books and websites.  I hope you find it helpful.

Living at the End of Life, Karen Whitley Bell.
I really liked this compassionate, friendly book about what to do when you've reached the last few months with your loved one.  It is informative, explanatory and easy to read.


 When Parents Die, Rebecca Abrams.
I have read a lot of books about grief and loss, including quite a few on losing a parent, and this is hands down the best one I've read.  The lovely thing about it is that it's really applicable to the loss of any loved one, not just a parent. The other lovely thing about it is that while it is ostensibly geared toward children and young people who lose a parent, an adult having just suffered a loss could read it and absolutely feel understood and comforted.  This is a book you could give a young person, a teenager, someone in their 20's, 30's, 40's, and on and feel sure you had given them something comforting and helpful.

The End of Life Handbook, David Feldman and S. Andrew Lasher.
This is both a practical and emotional guide to the end of life process.  It includes information about making healthcare choices, hospice and palliative care options, and physical manifestations of the dying process, as well as how to have difficult conversations, how to deal with grief and be gentle with oneself, and how to go on after loss.  I really recommend it as a quick read with easy-to-access information


 http://theconversationproject.org/

http://www.hospicefoundation.org/

http://www.hospicenet.org/

http://www.doyourproxy.org/resources.php

http://www.agingwithdignity.org/five-wishes.php

http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=1

http://www.nhpco.org/