Category Archives: end of life

Is suicide ever rational?

Excerpt from Facing Death: Finding Dignity, Hope and Healing by Jim deMaine Beyond the protocols for Medical Assisted Dying (MAID) and Voluntary Stopping Eating and Drinking (VSED), some argue that suicide may, at times, be rational. This is a difficult … Continue reading

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How Do You Serve a Friend in Despair?

If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. I’ll post a follow-up piece that I’ve written called “Is Suicide Ever Rational?” By David Brooks … Continue reading

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Pro or Con – make your opinion known

EOL Washington has proposed legislation to improve Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) care and access. See below.

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HB 1281 Protecting Access to Medical Aid in Dying

Thanks to Mary Jane F. HB 1281 Protecting Access to MAID Hearing Wednesday at 1:30pm         We need your help! HB 1281, Protecting Access to Medical Aid-in-Dying, is scheduled for a hearing in the House Health Care … Continue reading

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CPR and Defibrillators: What You Need to Know

By Gina Kolata in the NYT Before 1958, there was no such thing as CPR. If someone’s heart stopped because of cardiac arrest, that person fell to the ground, with no pulse, no breathing. And they were simply declared dead. All … Continue reading

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How to safe a life in 90 seconds with CPR

This is a useful skill that able residents and willing staff should learn. As resident Leonard Cobb MD notes, learning this skill and having an AED may enable you to save a life one day. Some residents who are frail … Continue reading

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Anderson Cooper Explores Grief and Loss in Deeply Personal Podcast

Ed note: Shakespeare’s 73 sonnet speaks of anticipating loss: “This thou perceivist which makes thy love more strong; To love that well which thou must leave ere long.” Grief surrounds us as we near life’s end. How do we deal … Continue reading

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Lesson to be learned from one typing the wrong email address!

Thanks to Frank C. A Minneapolis couple decided to go to Florida tothaw out during a particularly  icy winter Theyplanned to stay at the same hotel where they hadspent their honeymoon 20 years earlier. Because of hectic schedules, it was difficult … Continue reading

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The Josephine Way

Ed note: This essay from the current issue of the New England Journal reminds us that we, as patients, have choices. Our providers may or may not agree, but making our wishes known in the way Josephine did engendered a … Continue reading

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Medical Aid in Dying – a challenge to the California law

Thanks to Mary M.

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Assisted living too often fails older, sicker residents, report says

Thanks to Diana C – Published in the Washington Post Assisted-living communities too often fail to meet the needs of older people and should focus more on residents’ medical and mental health concerns, according to a recent report by a diverse panel … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Caregiving, Dementia, Disabilities, end of life, Grief, Health | 1 Comment

How to talk to a widow

By Betty Rollin in the NYT Ms. Rollin is a former NBC News correspondent and the author of several books, including the memoirs “First, You Cry” and “Last Wish.” People are kind; some are wonderful. For a time. Then they move … Continue reading

Posted in Advocacy, Aging Sites, end of life, Grief | 2 Comments

National Family Caregivers Month!

Ed note: The communication below is from the Conversation Project. November is National Family Caregivers Month. Visit the Caregiver Action Network’s resource page to learn more about this year’s theme #CaregivingHappens, find resources, social media toolkit, stories, ideas on how … Continue reading

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Is Choosing Death Too Easy in Canada?

Ed note: Canada has liberalized its medical aid in dying (MAID) laws far beyond that of Washington State (or any other state). A person no longer needs to be terminally ill and the lethal medication can be given by IV … Continue reading

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The Day Dostoyevsky Discovered the Meaning of Life in a Dream

The Marginalian (formerly Brain Pickings) by Maria Popova Ed note: This is a rather “heavy” entry but a friend who’s in the midst of a crisis, sent this story. It brought me back to a Russian lit course in college … Continue reading

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Flights and Rights: Access to Health Care

Thanks to Barb W.

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I’m 87, Triple Vaxxed and Living My Life Again

By Katharine Esty in the New York Times Dr. Esty is a psychotherapist and the author of “Eightysomethings: A Practical Guide to Letting Go, Aging Well and Finding Unexpected Happiness.” Another Covid winter looms, but this moment of the pandemic feels … Continue reading

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Executioner was convinced he would be condemned to hell; others also suffer long-term effects

Thanks to Bob P. From the ABA Journal BY DEBRA CASSENS WEISS NOVEMBER 11, 2021, 2:44 PM CST  Corridor in an abandoned penitentiary. Image from Shutterstock. After Craig Baxley connected a plastic tube to vials of drugs to stop the heart … Continue reading

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Ask the Doctor – My interviews with Michael Hebb

Michael Hebb is an innovative and influential cultural figure, entrepreneur and activist, described by the New York Times as an “underground restaurateur, impresario and provocateur.” He believes that the dinner table is one of the most effective (and overlooked) vehicles … Continue reading

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People’s Memorial – upcoming Webinars

Thanks to Barb W Ed Note: People’s Memorial is a well respected co-op member owned non-profit. It operates a funeral home and contracts with many around the state for reasonable cost services. In my opinion it’s well worth joining. See … Continue reading

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Is it Assisted Suicide or Medical Aid in Dying – the controversy

An interview I had with Michael Hebb, the author of Let’s Have Dinner and Talk (about Death). Seven additional 30 minute Ask The Doctor interviews with Michael can be found here.

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“Ask The Doctor” episode #6 – about Medical Aid in Dying

At 11 AM on Tuesday 6/22, if interested, you can watch a live interview of Jim deMaine by Michael Hebb, the founder of End of Life Collective. The topic will be Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), often called Death With … Continue reading

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Opinion: Can you trust doctors to honor your end-of-life wishes? Here’s what to consider.

By STANLEY A. TERMAN, KARL E. STEINBERG in the San Diego Tribune Terman, Ph.D., M.D., is a psychiatrist and bioethicist. He lives in Sausalito. Steinberg, M.D., is a hospice and palliative medicine specialist, bioethicist and nursing home and hospice medical director in Oceanside. The opinions … Continue reading

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Ask The Doctor

Several folks have asked for more information about “Ask The Doctor.” The weekly 11 AM webinar will take place again this Tuesday the 25th of May at 11 AM. Watch on the link below if you get a chance. Here … Continue reading

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Aging with resilience

Thanks to Put Barber. Ed note: Also recommended reading is Eric Larson’s Enlightened Aging, the research studies from Kaiser’s Seattle based research foundation. I hope to invite Erik back to Skyline once we are able to have fully live events.

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