5 Conversation Starters to Talk about Death, Dying & End-of-Life Preferences
by Brenda Iverson I am a planner. Simple things, like planning out the week’s meals for our family, help me feel prepared for the hustle and bustle of the week …
Category: Caregiver Resources
Caregivers: A Patchwork of Love
by Janna Benson Kontz, MDiv
In many ways, I believe a brightly colored quilt symbolizes life with intricately interwoven shapes, colors and patterns. And, although life isn’t always as bright, easy and beautiful as a quilt, it’s not all dark either. We need both bright and dark shades to create the beautiful pattern, just as in our lives. It’s the...
Forgiveness at the End of Life
by Lauryl Ivers, M.Div., B.C.C.
If not for the grace and forgiveness I have experienced in my own life, I know I wouldn’t be able to do the work I do today. I am a Hospice of the Red River Valley chaplain, and it is my privilege to enter the homes and lives of people when they and their loved...
Activities to Do With a Sick Loved One
by Megan Suby
Caring for a loved one during an end-of-life journey can be filled with challenges and joys. There may be times when a caregiver struggles to find meaningful and engaging activities for their loved one to participate in or help with. As humans, we often search for moments in life when we feel valuable, independent and a sense...
Caregiving When the Caregiver Is Ill
by Sharon Dardis, guest blogger
Many caregivers worry about what will happen to their loved ones if they become physically or financially unable to provide care. What will happen and what will they do if they cannot fulfill their own expectations regarding what they think it means to be a “good” caregiver? A solution may not be as easy as...
Caregiving in the Late Stages of Alzheimer’s Disease
by Kendra Binger, Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimer's can take a devastating toll on caregivers, especially in the later stages. Compared with caregivers of people without dementia, twice as many caregivers of those with dementia indicate substantial emotional, financial and physical difficulties.
As symptoms worsen, the care required of family members can result in increased emotional stress and depression; new or exacerbated health...
A Letter to My Dad on Father’s Day
by Janna Benson Kontz, MDiv
Father’s Day is a day of grilling out, fishing, boating—doing all the things we love to do with our dads. If our dad isn’t into those things, or if we’re unable to be with our dad, it might be a day filled with phone calls or FaceTime. That is, if we have a good and...
Using Technology to Aid in Caregiving Responsibilities
If you’re a caregiver, you know the labor of love this role entails—not only for your loved one—but for you and the sacrifices you undoubtedly make to fulfill this commitment. The average family caregiver is a 49-year-old woman caring for a 69-year-old female relative, most likely her mother. She has full-time job outside of her caregiving responsibilities and has...
4 Ways to Navigate Difficult Family Dynamics at End-of-Life
There’s no doubt, determining the best care for a terminally-ill loved one can be daunting and incredibly taxing, especially when multiple family members and caregivers are involved. Family dynamics can play a significant role in helping—or potentially hindering—end-of-life care considerations for the person facing a life-limiting illness.
When we love deeply, our emotional reactions to situations involving those who are...
A “Natural” Death: It’s About Perspective
by Janna Benson Kontz, MDIV
The words “death” and “natural” may seem like anything but natural. The question remains: Why are we so afraid to talk about death and afraid of death in general? Death is a natural part of life. If we are born, we will die … yet, we celebrate birth, but we are afraid of death. Why...
