Life Lesson From Dogs to Humans (Video 3:49)

A hospice volunteer over 20 years, I am featuring this post about dogs because it resonates on so many levels with human lives. We all die, but do we really strive to live life to the fullest? This post about mostly elderly, ill, rescued dogs shows us how to enjoy life. The dogs are showcased in a heartwarming video, actually a “dogumentary,” titled "Seven Days with Seven Dogs." Their story mesmerizes with a universal message for humans who are terminally ill, in good health, elderly or young.

Living at a refuge similar to a canine nursing home, the dogs struggle with health challenges ranging from deafness, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, heart murmur, and a lymphatic mass on one “hospice” dog predicted to live only a few more weeks. They experience serious life challenges just like humans do. The dogs' caregivers decide it is high time these canine seniors smell the roses we humans often forget to smell. Taking all the dogs on an adventurous trip to dog-friendly locations immersed in nature becomes a fantastic solution. We humans must search the wells of ourselves to find our own purposes and pleasures.

Regarding eldercare, this "dogumentary" encourages quality caregiving that should take place with ill, older adult humans, many who have supported others unconditionally for years. For seven days, join this soul-stirring, dog-centered trip where floral fragrances permeate the air, where wounded spirits soar, and where we are all reminded at personal levels that the best things in life are not things. Let's enjoy ourselves! Have some fun! It’s later than we think.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes is available in paperback and e-book editions in America and other countries at online and offline booksellers.
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Aging, Sick Dogs on a Caregiving Trip (Video 3:49)

Two years ago, I did a blog post on sick, aging dogs enjoying a life-enhancing trip. The dogs were showcased in a heartwarming video, actually a “dogumentary,” titled "Seven Days with Seven Dogs." Like an old tune with different singers, the video continues to mesmerize about terminally ill older adults of the non-human kind.

Living at a refuge similar to a canine nursing home, the dogs struggled with health challenges ranging from deafness, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, heart murmur, and a lymphatic mass on one “hospice” dog predicted to live only a few more weeks. Caregiving humans decided it was high time these canine seniors had their chance at smelling the roses we humans often have to remind ourselves to smell. A great way to do this was to take all the dogs on an adventurous trip to dog-friendly locations immersed in nature.

This video shows another application of quality caregiving with an ill, older adult population that has supported others unconditionally for years. Join this soul-stirring, dog-centered trip where floral fragrances permeate the air, where wounded spirits soar, and where we are reminded at personal levels that the best things in life are not things.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Sperm Retrieval From Terminally Ill or Recently Deceased Patients

Requests for sperm retrieval from terminally ill or recently deceased patients continue to increase along with controversy. Major reasons for this increase are the success and acceptance of techniques that assist reproduction such as in vitro fertilization. These requests are accompanied by several concerns regarding legal, ethical, and financial issues. Two areas of controversy involve consent for the retrieval of sperm and the validity of family consent. Obviously, family members and healthcare providers need some form of medical protocol to resolve the ongoing controversy that is not going away.

Some feel that men themselves, particularly those about to get married or enter into a similar relationship, can resolve problems related to consent by addressing retrieval of their sperm in advance in the same way a living will is handled. By documenting their wishes before a need occurs, sperm retrieval can take place during the terminal illness or recently after death. This research by the University of Maryland Medical Center examines sperm retrieval from terminally ill or recently deceased patients.

What do you think about this ongoing debate?

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
“Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog”

Hospice and Palliative Care Reflections: Quality of Life for Elderly, Ill Dogs (Video 3:49 mins.)

Today’s post may seem different from my usual ones. There’s no link to scientific data or a story about humans receiving hospice or palliative care. The featured topic literally goes to the dogs, rescued dogs that are mostly elderly and ill.

Living at a refuge similar to a nursing home for dogs, they struggled with health challenges ranging from deafness, epilepsy, hip dysplasia, heart murmur, and a lymphatic mass on one “hospice” dog predicted to live only a few more weeks.

Caregiving humans decided it was high time these canine seniors had their chance at smelling the roses we humans have to remind ourselves to smell. A great way to do this was to take all the dogs on a wonderful trip to dog-friendly locations immersed in adventure and nature.

This post shows another application of “quality of life” care for an elderly, ill population that has so often supported others. A soul-stirring video, “Seven Days with Seven Dogs” takes us on a “dog-centered” trip where floral fragrances permeate the air, where wounded spirits soar, and where we are reminded that the best things in life are not things.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice and Palliative Care: Puppets, Depression, and Dementia (Video 3:20 mins.)

Although various forms of therapy are used to help terminally ill patients who are depressed or who have dementia, I was not familiar with puppet therapy for adults with these conditions. Puppets are used as tools for the puppeteer to communicate with these patients. The goal is to break down barriers that patients are experiencing and replace them with feelings of love and improved levels of communication.

The previously posted video to help hospice and palliative care patients with depression or dementia was removed from Youtube by the owner.

Frances Shani Parker, Author

"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes” (paperback, e-book)

“Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog”

Hospice-Palliative Care and Music Therapy (Audio)

Think of all the ways music positively impacts your life. Perhaps it spurs you on during an aerobics class, makes you smile when it whisks you to another world, heals your spirit after emotional or physical turmoil. Because music can have many favorable effects, I incorporate it during my hospice volunteering.

For those patients who can communicate their preferences, I provide music for them. Sometimes we listen to the radio and comment on the artists or the lyrics. Other times, we listen to CD’s. When patients are not able to communicate verbally with me, I refer to their information forms for clues as to what they might like. For example, I might play an old-time gospel song for a patient whose religion is listed as Baptist. Patients’ nonverbal responses often express their feelings.

On a more structured and prescriptive level, music thanatology is the movement providing consolation to patients in the final stages of dying. This form of music therapy has become a part of many hospice programs. The bedside services, which are performed by music-thanatologist practitioners, provide serenity and enjoyment for patients. Harp and voice music are often used. During these vigils, patients hear music tailored to their specific needs. You can read more about this form of therapy and listen to examples of harp music being used to provide interior and exterior comfort for terminally ill patients at the NPR news Web site.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice: AIDS Drug Too Late Again

Years ago, before I became a certified hospice volunteer, I found myself in the unexpected position of giving ongoing assistance to two men with AIDS. I was a hospice volunteer then and didn’t know it. The first man died. The second man, who was diagnosed with AIDS a year later, had the great fortune of living with AIDS during the same time that protease inhibitor drugs revolutionized treatment of the disease. The multi-drug "cocktail" changed AIDS from being an automatic death sentence to a chronic, but manageable, disease. The number of AIDS-related deaths decreased. Unfortunately, the prevalence of AIDS continued to increase. Infected people were living longer. New cases continued to develop, with particularly high rates among African Americans.

I thought the new drugs would be successful in helping everyone who had AIDS. But a January 2, 2007 news article by James Ricci titled “AIDS drug offers hope, but too late for one man” in the “Los Angeles Times” reports otherwise. Warren Ratcliffe and Mark McClelland are two men among an estimated 40,000 Americans whose illness could not be controlled by modern drugs. They'd developed resistance to them. Their only hope was to stall the virus by receiving “salvage therapy” to stay alive until a new drug was discovered that could help them.

That amazing new drug, an integrase inhibitor, was finally discovered in 2006. While it came in time to save McClelland, it came too late for Ratcliffe, who died at age 59 of AIDS-related cancer. Once again, a man and many others, died before they could benefit from a new drug discovery. So far, McClelland seems to be responding well to the drug. Dr. Steven Deeks, a UC San Francisco salvage therapy authority, hopes that during 2007, other surviving salvage therapy patients will develop immune systems that can rebuild themselves.
Note: See comments section to view AIDS videos.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog

Hospice and Palliative Care for the Homeless

Every urban city has them somewhere. Viewed too often as invisible humanity, they watch their cardboard requests for help filter through society’s windshields. Shivering in countless layers of clothing, they roam while preaching to unseen characters. They are homeless people who may or may not have lived in the past like any reader of this blog.

But what happens or should happen to millions of homeless people when they are terminally ill? Those with bodies racked with years of substance abuse can only last so long, especially when strong social supports and medical insurance are lacking. When each day is a struggle to meet basic needs, the odds of detailed planning of end-of-life care are slim.

“The Journal of the American Medical Association” discusses how to serve the terminally ill homeless population with these summary conclusions:

1) Needs of the homeless can best be met with a multidisciplinary team that addresses their complex needs.

2) Those who continue to abuse drugs must have frequent clinic visits, specific dosages of long-acting pain medications, and a written pain agreement.

3) Their end-of-life concerns must be discussed with them and documented.

4) Due to lack of finances, homes, and social supports, the homeless rarely receive inpatient hospice care. However, inpatient palliative care at hospitals can enhance the quality of their end-of-life experience.

Like everyone else, homeless people are entitled to all the benefits of dignified death journeys.

Frances Shani Parker, Author
"Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes”
Hospice and Nursing Homes Blog