We’re deep diving into advance care planning with hospice Social Worker Rosie Gaston, talking about diagnosis specific advance directives. With diseases like Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia on the rise, the need to plan for end of life situations for neurodegenerative diagnoses is increasing. It’s hard to predict every scenario, but considering basic care needs and wants is important. Some of the things that should be considered include where the person wants to live out their life, what treatments they want/don’t want, who’ll be the primary caregiver, and how care will be paid for. A dementia specific directive might include directions about treating infections like UTI’s and pneumonia, and choices about feeding, feeding tubes, and VSED options.

Even though it’s not possible to think of every situation that might happen, it’s important to have conversations about needs, wants, and wishes for end of life. Be specific. Those conversations can make decisions so much easier when a crisis arises later in the disease trajectory. Have the conversations early - and often!

Connect with Rosie Gaston, MSW, LICSW, APHSW-C: www.ABetterEnding.org Socials for Rosie Gaston: IG

RESOURCES:

• End of Life Choices New York dementia advance directive resource
• Compassion and Choices Dementia Priorities and Values Tool
• The Conversation Project handout for caregivers for someone with Alzheimer’s and other dementias

Hospice Navigation Services understands that you need unbiased, expert support to have the best end of life experience possible. And we believe you deserve to get good hospice care. If you have questions about hospice care for yourself or someone you care about, Hospice Navigation Services can help. Whether you want to connect by phone or video, you can book a FREE 30-Minute Hospice Navigation Session, or a more in-depth 60-Minute Navigation Session for $95. If you need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, we’re here to answer your questions. A 60-Minute Navigation Session by video call allows up to 3 family members to get the same expert information at the same time. Book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast

Podcast host Helen Bauer is a great addition to your event or conference! For speaking inquiries, send an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.

There isn’t a greeting card for every type of grief. Dr. Ken Doka joins the podcast in this episode to talk about anticipatory and disenfranchised grief. Before death even occurs, people are grieving - anticipating the loss of identity, functional ability, roles, and relationships as well as the actual loss that comes with death itself. This kind of grief is felt by both the person who’s dying and the caregivers and family. Disenfranchised grief occurs when the relationship with the deceased person wasn’t one that’s recognized by society, and can't be publically mourned. Ex-spouses, abusive and estranged relationships can all be situations of disenfranchised grief. It can be difficult to find support for grief like this, making the griever feel isolated. Disenfranchised grief can be more complicated than grief related to healthy and close relationships.

If you need information about grief, check out the Hospice and Grief Info section of the Hospice Foundation of America’s website. Website: hospicefoundation.org Research on grieving: hospicefoundation.org/research-on-grief-and-grieving Grief and other types of loss: hospicefoundation.org/grief-and-other-types-of-loss Facebook: www.facebook.com/hospicefoundation Instagram: www.instagram.com/hfahospice X: x.com/hfahospice

Hospice Navigation Services understands that you need unbiased, expert support to have the best end of life experience possible. And we believe you deserve to get good hospice care. If you have questions about hospice care for yourself or someone you care about, Hospice Navigation Services can help. Whether you want to connect by phone or video, you can book a FREE 30-Minute Hospice Navigation Session, or a more in-depth 60-Minute Navigation Session for $95. If you need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, we’re here to answer your questions. A 60-Minute Navigation Session by video call allows up to 3 family members to get the same expert information at the same time. Book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast

Podcast host Helen Bauer is a great addition to your event or conference! For speaking inquiries, send an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.

Social Worker Rosie Gaston talks about getting back to the basics of what matters most to start an advance care plan. Reflecting on values and beliefs is a great starting place. The next step is having conversations with people who matter most to us (along with healthcare providers) to communicate the kind of care we want when our bodies begin to shut down, and what embodies quality of life. When should we make an advance care plan? Rosie recommends anyone over 18 make an ACP and revisit it whenever there’s a life change. End of life wishes change and ACP should change to stay in alignment with who we are. Getting a life-altering or serious diagnosis, changing marital status, or having a change in healthcare provider are all milestones where review of an advance care plan should happen. Have the conversations early, have them often.

Connect with Rosie Gaston, MSW, LICSW, APHSW-C: www.ABetterEnding.org Socials for Rosie Gaston: IG

Hospice Navigation Services understands that you need unbiased, expert support to have the best end of life experience possible. And we believe you deserve to get good hospice care. If you have questions about hospice care for yourself or someone you care about, Hospice Navigation Services can help. Whether you want to connect by phone or video, you can book a FREE 30-Minute Hospice Navigation Session, or a more in-depth 60-Minute Navigation Session for $95. If you need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, we’re here to answer your questions. A 60-Minute Navigation Session by video call allows up to 3 family members to get the same expert information at the same time. Book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

Website: theheartofhospice.com

Social media: Facebook Twitter Instagram LinkedIn

Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com

More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast

Podcast host Helen Bauer is a great addition to your event or conference! For speaking inquiries, send an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.