end of life care

If you’ve ever been in the situation of choosing hospice care for a family member or loved one, you know that paying for the service is the last thing on your mind. Instead, you’re concentrating on keeping that person as comfortable and cared for as possible, and of course you want the very best environment for them in their time of need.

It's natural to wonder how bad a serious condition is. Will treatment be effective? The prediction of recovery, in medical terms, is called a "prognosis." Many conditions are difficult to predict. Cancers, on the other hand, run a fairly expectable course. A cancer prognosis, for instance, depends on

If you are supporting a seriously ill family member, your relative's condition and needs could change at any time. Such uncertainty creates practical problems. (You may suddenly need to leave work to take him or her to the doctor.) It also comes with an emotional cost. Doubts and the unpredictable can be hard to bear. You may put off decisions because you are not sure exactly how things will turn out. You may even find yourself wishing for something to happen right now, just to end the uncertainty.

Deciding what holiday gifts to give a person with memory loss can be challenging. Following are some tips to share with family members. The gift of time: A special date to share cookies and send holiday cards to others A time to share and wrap gifts (before the rush) Attending seasonal music events or caroling together A person with early-stage memory loss is often still striving to do his or her usual activities. Gifts that provide reminder systems or simplify daily tasks are useful.

Combining households has many benefits: less hassle running back and forth between two residences, less worry about Dad eating well and remembering his meds, more family social time for him, cost savings on rent and utilities, etc. But if things do not work out, disentangling could cause hurt feelings and damage your relationship. Consider these questions before you move in together. Relationships and life style

"On your mark! Get set! Wait!" That is the experience, and in fact the best strategy, when trying to convince an older relative to move to assisted living. You may feel sure your mom or dad needs extra help, but they may not agree. This is a common dilemma. For instance, you may have noticed your loved one

Caring for a family member often involves collaborating with other relatives. Sometimes you will agree. Sometimes you won't. Debating every item may not be the best use of family time. In some situations, the wisest course is to be quiet and let others do it their way. That said, there are times when you should speak up, specifically when another person’s safety or deep well-being is at risk. One simple way to decide when to speak is to ask yourself the following three questions:

Thanksgiving is our annual celebration of gratitude. But if someone dear to you is seriously ill this year, the very last thing you might be feeling is gratitude. In fact, our national celebration is a response to hard times. We honor the Pilgrims’ giving of thanks for coming through a harrowing year. And today, research shows that it is in tough times that we benefit most from a grateful approach. Gratitude helps us

Thanksgiving is our annual celebration of gratitude. But if someone dear to you is seriously ill this year, the very last thing you might be feeling is gratitude. In fact, our national celebration is a response to hard times. We honor the Pilgrims’ giving of thanks for coming through a harrowing year. And today, research shows that it is in tough times that we benefit most from a grateful approach. Gratitude helps us