Category Archives: end of life

Notes from the Northwest Center for Creative Aging

Ed Note: Rebecca Crichton started her ‘Encore Career’ as ED of NWCCA in 2012 after 21 years with The Boeing Company. She refashioned her skills and knowledge as a writer, curriculum designer and leadership development coach to offer programs related to … Continue reading

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Resources for discussing and documenting end-of-life choices

Below is the handout for the discussion at Town Hall on Monday, March 9th. I hope you find the links useful.

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Finding Dignity, Hope and Healing at the End

Town Hall Seattle and Northwest Center for Creative Aging presentDr. Jim deMaine with Rebecca CrichtonFinding Dignity, Hope, and Healing at the End  Mon 3/9 at 7:30PM | $10-$35 Sliding Scale | In-Person Join Dr. Jim deMaine, a pulmonary/critical care physician, … Continue reading

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The Process of Leaving a Legacy

Thanks to Mary M. You are invited! Town Hall Seattle in Partnership with The Seattle Public Library Foundation is proud to present…The Process of Leaving a LegacyWednesday, February 11, 202612:00 – 1:15 pmFree online event Planning for the future doesn’t have … Continue reading

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Dementia & Your End of Life Options – Update Today

Note the correction: the time will be 3:00 PM PST for today Jan 6th Webinar

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National U.S. Advance Directive Registry

by Thaddeus Pope Ed note: There is much work still to do in Washington State. There has been political resistance in the State Senate, but some work is being carried out in this direction. A National Registry would be a … Continue reading

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Pistachio Ice Cream

Ed note: This article in the current New England Journal of Medicine gives hope that kindness and caring can exist in our overstressed hospitals and ICU. And, yes, I’d like that pistachio ice cream when my time comes.

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The WSMA Advance Directive

Ed note: Some have inquired as to where they can find an advance directive that includes the Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care as well as their goals of care when faced with a life threatening illness. This form … Continue reading

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What’s Behind the Gilded Doors of Aegis Senior Living?

Allegations of Labor Violations and Neglect, and the CEO at the Heart of it All Conor Kelley in The Stranger (thanks to Ed M.) Aegis Living in Laurelhurst. Joe Mabel If you’ve seen old folks’ homes with a certain Cheesecake Factory … Continue reading

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Joe Biden Has a Chance to Do Something Astounding

By Patti Davis in the NYT Ms. Davis is the author of “Dear Mom and Dad: A Letter About Family, Memory and the America We Once Knew.” She led a long-running support group for caregivers of people with Alzheimer’s. On Nov. … Continue reading

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New England Aquarium builds retirement home for aging penguins

The geriatric penguins will enjoy peace and quiet on their own private island. By Morgan Rousseau March 15, 2025 (Thanks to Pam P.) African penguins at the New England Aquarium will live well into their golden years on a new, private … Continue reading

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Doctor, Will You Pray for Me?

Ed Note: This talk was recently presented at the UW Bioethics Grand Rounds. Although intended for a medical audience, you may find it of interest. Robert Klitzman, MDProfessor of PsychiatryDirector, Bioethics Masters ProgramColumbia University

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Netflix hit – Ted Danson in a CCRC!

Ed Note: Actually it’s titled “A Man on the Inside” — a series of 8 episodes. Corny, poignant, funny and an evolving heartfelt story. Basically FUN! From Rolling Stone Mike Schur’s The Good Place was a cosmic epic about what happens when the … Continue reading

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November 12th – a fateful day

by Heather Cox Richardson “It all began so beautifully,” Lady Bird remembered. “After a drizzle in the morning, the sun came out bright and beautiful. We were going into Dallas.”  It was November 22, 1963, and President John F. Kennedy … Continue reading

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The Presidio Pet Cemetery: A Resting Place for Furry Friends

Olivia Allen-Price from KQED (thanks to Bob P.) Tombstones at the Presidio of San Francisco Pet Cemetery in San Francisco on Oct. 16, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED) View the full episode transcript. San Francisco has long been a tough place to … Continue reading

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I Sang at Hundreds of Funerals. This Is What I Learned About Grief.

Singing not only helps allow it to move through the body but it alchemizes what grief can become. By Lauren DePino in the NYT Magazine Since I first started singing as a little girl, I yearned to become some incarnation of … Continue reading

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To Be In Awe

Thanks to Diane S. What gives you a sense of awe? You might imagine standing on a wide-open plain with a storm approaching, or holding the tiny finger of a newborn baby. That word, awe – the feeling of being … Continue reading

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Research study mapping the brain at UW

Ed note: I was contacted by the UW researchers who asked me to post this information. Participants will be paid for the visits and travel  costs will be covered.  If you are interested in learning more about  the Brain Map … Continue reading

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Honored By the Post Office, Alex Trebek Gets His Own Jeopardy Themed Stamps.

Ryan Chilton Jul 26, 2024 Thanks to Pam P. In a fitting tribute to a television icon, the U.S. Postal Service has honored Alex Trebek with a special sheet of commemorative stamps that beautifully capture his legacy. Trebek, who was … Continue reading

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Psilocybin Therapy in Palliative Care | An EOLWA Update 

The landscape of psychedelic-assisted therapies, particularly psilocybin, is undergoing significant transformation, especially in the context of palliative care. End of Life Washington (EOLWA) has advocated for the inclusion of psilocybin as a therapeutic treatment for seriously ill patients. Research and … Continue reading

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For Biden, a Race Against Time

By Maureen Dowd Opinion Columnist, reporting from Washington in the NYT When my mom got into her 80s, we had to deal with periodic medical issues. Fainting. Falls. Broken bones. Luckily, she was in good stead with the local rescue squad … Continue reading

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What Deathbed Visions Teach Us About Living

Thanks to Tim B. By Phoebe Zerwick in the NYT Magazine Chris Kerr was 12 when he first observed a deathbed vision. His memory of that summer in 1974 is blurred, but not the sense of mystery he felt at the … Continue reading

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Consider this letter to Senator Jamie Pedersen

House Bill 2166 (with revisions) recently passed the House unanimously (97-0). This bill allows our POLST forms to be placed in a statewide registry, so that our POLSTs can rapidly be retrieved by 911 responders or emergency rooms. Oregon has … Continue reading

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The three most important things – Irvin Yalom

“Three things in human life are important. The first is to be kind. The second is to be kind. And the third is to be kind.” – Irvin Yalom Irvin Yalom is an author, teacher and practicing psychiatrist. He has … Continue reading

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My Father Didn’t Want to Live if He Had Dementia. But Then He Had It.

By Sandeep Jauhar Dr. Jauhar is a cardiologist who writes frequently about medical care and public health. He is the author of “My Father’s Brain: Life in the Shadow of Alzheimer’s.” From the editor: Please see my comments at the end … Continue reading

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