Receiving the news that you or someone you care about has only a few months or weeks to live is one of the worst things that can happen to anybody. Death comes to us all, but we often put it out of our minds until faced with its impending reality. If you are caring for someone who is going through the end stages of life, it is useful to find a hospice book on the dying process to guide you through the many issues, practical, legal, medical, and emotional, with which you are suddenly faced.
Sometimes, families get several months' notice that someone is terminally ill. In other circumstances, there is insufficient time to adjust to the idea. You play the hand you're dealt. In the end, no matter how well prepared you think you are, when the moment arrives, there will still be shock waves. In the meantime, the time interval is an opportunity to sort out the distribution of property, discuss practical matters and sort through the myriad emotions.
Once the dust has settled in the wake of the terminal diagnosis, there will be plenty of things to do and think about. This is the time to educate yourself about what physical changes your loved one will be going through. Topics such as organ donation, whether they want to go into a hospice/hospital or remain at home, etc.
Every person is different in how they handle the last few months and weeks of life. Some people are calm and composed while others are terrified. Some people take it as it comes while others want to maintain every last moment of control.
The same is true of family members and close friends. As well as the immediate care issues, there will be a massive range of emotions for everyone to process. Guilt is a common feeling associated with impending bereavement, as is anger.
Two emotionally-charged topics that need to be resolved are organ donation and how much medical intervention is acceptable if the need arises. Having both of these decisions documented will save misunderstandings and make life much easier later on when the need arises. Make sure all interested parties are duly informed.
Then there is the question of where the death will occur. If their medical condition allows, many people like to spend their last moments in the privacy of their own home. If they are spending their last days at home, it is useful for the caregiver to know what the legalities are with regard to attendance by the police. This can be a shock, and shocked and bereaved caregivers can feel somehow to blame for the situation if it is not explained previously.
How can you tell when death is imminent. To some extent, this will depend on the nature of the terminal illness. The brain will conserve its last scraps of energy to maintain its own function, so less life-sustaining functions will start to fall by the wayside. They may, for example, lose the use of their legs very close to the end of their life. The moment of death may be preceded by some disturbing moments, such as agonal breathing. It is not always as peaceful and romantic as it is sometimes portrayed. These are just some of the reasons why it is a good idea to find a good reference manual to cover the practical, religious, legal, medical and emotional issues that you are going to face in your role as a psychopomp.
Sometimes, families get several months' notice that someone is terminally ill. In other circumstances, there is insufficient time to adjust to the idea. You play the hand you're dealt. In the end, no matter how well prepared you think you are, when the moment arrives, there will still be shock waves. In the meantime, the time interval is an opportunity to sort out the distribution of property, discuss practical matters and sort through the myriad emotions.
Once the dust has settled in the wake of the terminal diagnosis, there will be plenty of things to do and think about. This is the time to educate yourself about what physical changes your loved one will be going through. Topics such as organ donation, whether they want to go into a hospice/hospital or remain at home, etc.
Every person is different in how they handle the last few months and weeks of life. Some people are calm and composed while others are terrified. Some people take it as it comes while others want to maintain every last moment of control.
The same is true of family members and close friends. As well as the immediate care issues, there will be a massive range of emotions for everyone to process. Guilt is a common feeling associated with impending bereavement, as is anger.
Two emotionally-charged topics that need to be resolved are organ donation and how much medical intervention is acceptable if the need arises. Having both of these decisions documented will save misunderstandings and make life much easier later on when the need arises. Make sure all interested parties are duly informed.
Then there is the question of where the death will occur. If their medical condition allows, many people like to spend their last moments in the privacy of their own home. If they are spending their last days at home, it is useful for the caregiver to know what the legalities are with regard to attendance by the police. This can be a shock, and shocked and bereaved caregivers can feel somehow to blame for the situation if it is not explained previously.
How can you tell when death is imminent. To some extent, this will depend on the nature of the terminal illness. The brain will conserve its last scraps of energy to maintain its own function, so less life-sustaining functions will start to fall by the wayside. They may, for example, lose the use of their legs very close to the end of their life. The moment of death may be preceded by some disturbing moments, such as agonal breathing. It is not always as peaceful and romantic as it is sometimes portrayed. These are just some of the reasons why it is a good idea to find a good reference manual to cover the practical, religious, legal, medical and emotional issues that you are going to face in your role as a psychopomp.
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