end-of-life
How to find grief counselling
In an ideal world, we get to say goodbye to our parents with love and kindness in the most peaceful of settings as they drift gently away. But that’s not the reality for many of us. Circumstances and conditions often make our parting painful and difficult. Dementia regular delivers a long-drawn-out loss of a parent, […]
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Life Ledger – simplifying death notification to organisations free of charge
Service Review When you’re grieving for the loss of a parent, settling their affairs can be slow, arduous and painful. It’s surprising how many organisations have to be notified – from banks and pension funds to mobile phone contract providers and utilities. Not only do you have to find the details of each account, but […]
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Coping with grief
We all deal with grief differently. Arranging a funeral and managing an estate can keep us busy for a while, but once the practical steps are organised, there is still the emotion of loss to deal with. What is grief? Grief is completely normal. It may affect you through a whole range of emotions, including […]
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With the end in mind – helping your loved ones plan ahead
When supporting an older loved one, it’s important to know if they have opinions about what treatment they would or would not want towards the end of life. The subject of what happens to our family members if they get unwell is not an easy one to think about, and we may understandably be reluctant […]
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How can an end of life doula help my family?
While doulas are becoming more well-known in the UK, they’re usually associated with the process of giving birth. Yet today there’s a growing band of end of life doulas, whose role it is to help people with life-limiting conditions and those they love to get the most out of the time they have left together. […]
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Organising a funeral
Some people like to plan their own funeral. Others don’t want to think about it and leave the organisation to family once they’ve gone. Either way, it’s surprising how much there is to think about. By Kathy Lawrence The number of decisions you need to take while organising a funeral can be quite daunting. Here’s […]
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When and how do we talk with GPs and hospitals about dying choices?
By Kathy Lawrence Talking about the likelihood of a loved one dying in the near future is always going to be difficult. But if we want to give them the good death that we would like, we and their physicians need to know their preferences. But how can we know if anyone has asked, let […]
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What does a hospice do?
Written by Rebecca Lenton When a parent reaches end of life or has a terminal illness it can be difficult to care for them full-time at home. Hospitals are not an ideal place to end one’s days, but a hospice can provide the care and peace to make for a good end in a hospice […]
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10 questions to ask before choosing a care home
Written by Rebecca Lenton Our readers’ experiences tell us that some questions are really difficult to ask in front of a parent, but it’s important not to let the answers come as a shock once your parent is settled in. They’re particularly necessary because the answer changes from care home to care home. Can your […]
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What to expect from your chosen care home
Helping your parent into care can be a difficult decision especially when you don’t know what to ask from your parent’s care provider. Kris Scotting, an expert in nursing and care home management, answers some of your top concerns about the working practices of care homes and what you can expect. A good care home […]
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