Caring for the dying or critically ill can cause significant distress for health care providers, but even more so for family members in the role as a caregiver. Marianne shares about the complex challenges facing caregivers and ways to cope. Be sure to visit our website for additional resources.
A stroke is an injury to the brain caused by a change in blood supply, such as from a blood clot or burst in a vessel that feeds the brain. We talk about left-sided strokes and the impact it can have on the body - physically, cognitively and emotionally. Listen to ways to help a survivor through the recovery process.
What lifestyle choices increase your risk for chronic disease? To answer that we take a look at findings from the Nurse's Health Studies. The first study was established in 1976, and recruited nurses to participate through their lifespan for longitudinal data. The study is now in its third generation, with 280,000 participants. Listen to Marianne and Charlie as they share the findings.
(Education starts at 14:36)
In this episode we talk about how a daughter responds to her mother's search for assisted death. Her story is an informative one if you or a family member are considering assisted death. Please visit our website for resources and other discussions on this topic.
This week we take a difficult walk through the ideas of medical aid in dying, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. Euthanasia is taken from the Greek word euthanos, which means “good death.” Is it really necessary to actively kill a person in order for them to have a “good death”? We talk this week about how euthanasia programs have been wrongly used in recent history. Join us for this fascinating discussion of hastening death in ...
Feeling like you're running on empty? Have a habit of pushing those RPM's? Or maybe you let the "car" sit too long and the battery goes dead! This is part two on our discussion of fatigue. Fatigue can be improved by finding an energy balance between rest and activities. We discuss the role of inactivity, anemia, poor sleep, depression, and anxiety, as well as tips to manage.
Overdose deaths are on the rise, leaving loved ones struggling with their unexpected death. Learn more about the complicated grief that follows, and ways to move past the stigma, blame, isolation, and shame that may come with their death.
Baby, I'm sooooo tired! Fatigue goes well beyond normal tiredness. Learn what it is and the many causes, including imbalances and recovery from treatments. We also talk about Swedish funeral glögg and some interesting stories where people faked their own deaths!
Even during the best of times, the holidays can be exhausting and stressful - even more so if you are mourning the loss of a loved one. We have tips on how to manage. We also have some crafts to remember a loved one by as well as a historic egg nog recipe! (Educational portion starts at 9:30 minutes.)
"To be or not to be?" We delve into this difficult question surrounding death with dignity and assisted death. Rejoin another fun Drinks with Death session and learn the most unhealthy choices (but possibly the most satisfying?) for holiday foods.
Do you know a child who lost a loved one or a dear pet? In this episode we talk about what children understand about death by age. Be sure to download the handout below for details on what children struggle with, behaviors you may not anticipate, and ways to help them through their grief. (Educational segment begins at 22 minutes)
In our third segment, Marianne and Charlie act out a segment from Charlotte's Web reminding us ...
An estimated 40 million people worldwide have died of AIDS since 1981, and an estimated 37 million are living with HIV, making it one of the most important global public health issues in recorded history. Despite recent improvements in treatment, the AIDS epidemic still claims an estimated two million lives each year, of which more than 250,000 are children.
First recognized in 1988, World AIDS Day falls on December 1 each year. W...
Children understand death and grieve differently. Learn how to talk to them and help them in their grieving process. Be sure to visit our website for wonderful resources - websites, books, apps, and movies to help.
Huntington's disease is a rare, inherited disease that causes the progressive breakdown (degeneration) of nerve cells in the brain. We discuss what it is like to live with the disease, how it is inherited, and challenges for caregivers.
Deb Del Vecchio-Scully, a licensed professional counselor and trauma specialist, says, “the loss of our parents — becoming an adult orphan — is a defining moment and changes the landscape of our lives.”
Why is the death of a parent such a profound loss? Learn about feelings that may well up (some unexpected!) and some tools to help with the grief.
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead - has beautiful traditions to honor and remember the dead. We talk about beliefs, foods, drinks, and how to make an ofrenda or altar to celebrate loved ones.
Being diagnosed with cancer is very scary. But for those who have already defeated it, the fear it will return always looms over them. Learn why cancer can return, how physicians monitor for recurrence, and how to be proactive in reducing your risk.
We also talk about the interesting history of "sin eating", have a sinful recipe of our own, and Charlie acts out a scene from Our Town, the Pulitzer-winning play by Thornton W...
What should one expect if a family member is discharged to hospice? We talk about this as well as some resources to help caregivers as we revisit the concept of hospice, this time from the perspective of a family member who is taking care of a loved one.
As COVID-19 becomes more prevalent, we are discovering there is a surprising subset of young, healthy people who can also get very sick, or have mild initial symptoms, but have long-term effects. The people who also were hospitalized have long recoveries, due to the ravages of COVID, the body's immune response, and the treatment to keep them alive. We talk about "Long Haulers" and what is known about the long term eff...
More than 100,000 people are waiting for donations in the United States. In 2019, nearly 11,900 people provided a life-saving donation upon their death, a record high, but still far short of what is needed. Many birth defects and diseases lead to organ failure and have no cure. Learn about organ transplants and why donors are so important.
We also talk about the tradition of Shiva and celebrate the life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
#Org...