Death Cafe Resource Library
Hospice is Not a Dirty Word
1. Because it takes the focus off of the disease and puts it back on the human being and the family and loved ones around them.
2. Because it gives families a plan to follow in the face of overwhelming grief and stress.
3. Because the caregivers are passionate about preparing the individual and the family to take the next step in the human journey.
4. Because teaching our children how to care for the dying in a loving and selfless manner will erase their television and video game driven fears about their own deaths.
5. Because we prepare for births, college and marraige and funerals but we fail to prepare for something we all must face at some point.
6. Because everyone deserves a death with dignity and without pain or fear.
7. Because it no longer means you have only a few days to live. Now it means you can have some quality of life no matter how limited your time.
8. Because it does not neglect the physical, spiritual and mental well being of the dying person and those around him or her.
9. Because primary care providers are ill equipped to manage negative symptoms associated with the dying process but hospice physicians are experts.
10. Because it assists in making the wishes of the dying person known and in helping those around him/her honor those wishes.
Hospice is a gift, not a dirty word.
"Terminally ill, she asks her son to help her die. What should he do now? Before We Say Goodbye speaks directly to countless families. It challenges us in our deepest selves. Many will call it a love story."
The Four Things That Matter Most, A Book About Living
Posted by Paige Lewis on Jan. 28, 2014, 9:33 a.m.
Written by Ira Byock, M.D.
A classic read about end-of-life conversations.
Death in Classic and Contemporary Film: Fade to Black
Posted by Jon Underwood on Dec. 17, 2013, 10:49 p.m. 1 comment
Daniel Sullivan is Assistant Professor in Psychology at the University of Arizona, USA. He is the co-author of many research articles and book chapters on topics ranging from psychology to film and literature.
Jeff Greenberg is Professor of Psychology at the University of Arizona, USA, and is President of the International Society for Self and Identity. He is one of the co-creators of terror management theory, the co-author of many scientific articles and chapters, and the co-author of In the Wake of 9/11: The Psychology of Terror, Hanging on and Letting Go, and The Worm at the Core.
Death in Classic and Contemporary Film Fade to Black ...
This would be a great book to help start the conversation on death and dying.
Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death by Katy Butler
Posted by Paula Schneider on Nov. 16, 2013, 1:31 p.m. 3 comments
On Nov. 9, I facilitated a death cafe and one of the attendees highly recommended this book. Two days later, I heard an interview on NPR with the author, Katy Butler. Her words about the way we die (especially in America) were so pertinent and appropriate to today's world. I was delighted. Have just received my copy and will begin the read this weekend!
7 Cups of Tea connects those in need of emotional support with compassionate and non-judgmental listeners through a secure, anonymous platform. Whether an individual is feeling stressed, confused, or just wants to get something off his or her chest, connecting with someone on 7 Cups of Tea is a great way to feel better. Listeners are trained in Active Listening, a method of emotional support known to relieve stress. It's free and the service is available on demand, worldwide, around the clock.
National, nonprofit consumer education and watchdog organization. FCA is dedicated to helping consumers understand their legal rights and options in funeral planning. We offer objective advice on all aspects of funeral planning, and our local affiliated volunteer groups offer price surveys, planning forms, and more.
I realize this is not for everyone, but many people have found a great deal of insight and practical information about the spiritual dimension of death on this website. Go to: http://www.lifebeyonddeath.org
"Spirit Matters:How to Remain Fully Alive with a Life-Limiting Illness"
Posted by bettybetty on Oct. 29, 2013, 4:15 p.m.
Hospice nurse with 24 years of experience relates what is most importaant in end-of-life care. Information the medical community is not sharing.
Death Knells is a website dedicated to quotes about death. It is run by John Wadsworth who has excellent taste - recommended!
I have just discovered a website which really helped me look to my own future and my own death, and my 93 year old Mother's. My mother was so pleased to know that she will not be kept alive just because medicine can do that. She just wants to go naturally. I have done my 'bucket list' now too.
Death at the Movies: Hollywood's Guide to the Hereafter
Posted by amylenzo on Oct. 4, 2013, 6:37 p.m.
This book is a wise and witty jaunt through the ways death is viewed in popular culture through the movies.
The authors bring their own deep spiritual practice to the narrative, so their insights are grounded and perceptive.
They focus particularly on what Buddhists call the bardo - or transition between life and death, which can show up while we are still alive as a kind of "gap" between states, or moments of uncertainty.
Relevant and useful to any thought process around death.
This book was written by hospice nurses, Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley. In my mind, this is the book that Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a member of my dream team and mentor, would have loved to have written. It is interesting and informative--a must-read for all hospice professionals and for lay persons going through the dying process with a loved one.
G. I. Gurdjieff: The Last Hour of Life
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"Imagine, that you have only a few minutes, maybe an hour left to live; somehow you have discovered exactly when you will die. What would you do with this last precious hour of your stay on Earth?
Never spend fruitlessly the last hour of your life because it can become the most important hour for you. If you use it wrongly, you may be sorry about it later. This sincere excitement that you feel now can become for you a powerful source of the force that can prepare you for perfect death."