End of Life

Kelley Smith at CarePartners Senior Living joins Suzanne to talk about grief. With the loss of a loved one, Kelley talks about how to support those who are in the grieving process.

How many of us have lost loved ones during the pandemic, having illnesses resulting from the pandemic, taking care of spouses or loved ones who are struggling? We turn ourselves inside out while caring for a loved one. Kelley shares insights about grief, how people process grief, and how we can be better at supporting and helping those working through the grieving process.

With 9,000 COVID deaths, many of us have lost loved ones recently. Suzanne talks with Cassidy Bastien, an end-of-life doula, about a difficult topic to talk about, the end of life: How to be there for someone when they're dying, and what to say. This segment talks about the family's role, to make sure you know you're loved one's wishes and advocate for them.

There comes a time when you're caregiving a loved one when the time is near, we have an option for hospice care. Hospice is the umbrella of care that surrounds end of life. Eligibility comes down to a significant decline, not eating or walking, or a significant weight loss, with a diagnosis of six months or less to live, and a doctor's referral. If you feel that they qualify, you can ask for an evaluation. It focuses on quality of comfort at end of life.

Our medical communities often forget to educate families on the goals of treatment when our senior loved one's health is declining, or has gotten a terminal diagnosis. The goal is no longer to make them better, but to make them comfortable. This segment is about palliative care, which isn't discussed very often. We are so goal-oriented on fixing things, and we end up needing to focus on our quality of life. Palliative care allows for medications and treatment overseen by a palliative care team that works with your primary care physician and experts, and monitors your comfort and how you're doing with your treatments.

As a family member, how do you support them as they make that transition to the afterlife? Cassidy Bastien talks about how to be there for someone when they're dying, and what to say.

Daphne Davis at Pinnacle Senior Placements talks about how to be observant about life changes with our senior loved ones. There may be a...

Kelley Smith, VP of sales and marketing at CarePartners Senior Living, talks at Discovery 2019, the 34th Annual Alzheimer's Regional Conference. CarePartners operates seven dementia-dedicated senior care facilities in Washington. Sometimes intervention happens too soon — it has to be the right marriage of timing and where seniors are in their journey.

Daphne Davis at Pinnacle Senior Placements talks about how to have those difficult family conversations. Every single day she has these types of conversations with...

Eventually we all will face the loss of someone we love … and, in time, those who love us will face our loss. There can...