Category Archives: end of life

Annual meeting of the People’s Memorial Association

Ed note: Washington State is fortunate to have the progressive and politically active People’s Memorial Association. It is a non-profit co-op advocating for the best cost-effective choices for burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, and composting after life’s end. Many Skyline residents … Continue reading

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INTRODUCTION to “Facing Death: Finding Dignity, Hope and Healing at the End”

The following in the introduction to my book, released by Clyde Hill Publishing in September 2020. If interested, I have a few copies available at a discount. Otherwise the book can be found on Amazon and at your favorite book … Continue reading

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When Patients Choose to End Their Lives

By Jane E. Brody in the NYT At a time when so many are dying against their will, it may seem out of sync to discuss the option of having a doctor help people end their lives when they face intolerable … Continue reading

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WACCRA-Sponsored Seminar Tuesday Jan. 19th at 7:30 PM

Topic: WACCRA Educational Seminar – Facing Death: Finding Dignity, Hope and Healing at the End. Discussion about advance care planning and our choices at the end by the author. Book available here or contact Jim directly. Time: Jan 19, 2021 … Continue reading

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Coping with COVID stress

Thanks to Emerald Heights for this link

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Near the end of life, my hospice patient had a ghostly visitor who altered his view of the world

By Scott Janssen in The Washington Post For months, as I’ve visited Evan as his hospice social worker, he has been praying to die. In his early 90s, he has been dealing with colorectal cancer for more than four years, and … Continue reading

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U.S. mishandling of COVID echoes the 20th century eugenics movement

by Knute Berger in Crosscut Ed note: In addition to this captivating article, there seem to be a number of undercurrents allowing the pandemic to spread, a major one being the tension between saving older people vs. keeping businesses operating. … Continue reading

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Book discussion at Town Hall Monday evening

      Jim deMaine with Katy SewallFacing Death with Dignity, Hope, and Healing   Is it possible to have a good death, free from unnecessary pain and trauma? What if our final days were designed to bring about reconciliation … Continue reading

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One story – a mother’s brave choice

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Insightful thinking about voluntary stopping eating and drinking vs. medical aid in dying

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Frequently asked questions about advance care planning

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On Being an Elder in a Pandemic

by Larry R. Churchill published by the Hastings Center Do the elderly have special obligations during a pandemic, that is, something more than the duty we all have for hand washing, social distancing, timely self-quarantining, and most recently, wearing a … Continue reading

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Diagnosed with dementia, she documented her wishes for the end. Then her retirement home said no.

Ed Note: A common fear in aging is the onset of dementia–something not unfamiliar to all of us. Should we all have a dementia directive–the answer in my opinion is “yes.” But will it be honored–the answer is “it depends.” … Continue reading

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“When My Time Comes” — Diane Rehm at Town Hall

Ed Note: Diane Rehm’s previous book and presentation at Town Hall discussed her husband’s death from voluntarily stopping eating and drinking (VSED). She continues to explore end-of-life choices. Skyline author Tom Preston was a pioneer in patient choice in the … Continue reading

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The American Health Care Industry Is Killing People

Won’t you spare a thought for America’s medical debt collectors? And while you’re at it, will you say a prayer for the nation’s health care billing managers? Let’s also consider the kindly, economically productive citizens in swing states whose job … Continue reading

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Lovers in Auschwitz, Reunited 72 Years Later. He Had One Question.

From the NYT: The first time he spoke to her, in 1943, by the Auschwitz crematory, David Wisnia realized that Helen Spitzer was no regular inmate. Zippi, as she was known, was clean, always neat. She wore a jacket and … Continue reading

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As homeless Washingtonians near the end of life, hospice workers offer comfort wherever needed

From Crosscut: Social workers, doctors, and nurses meet patients in untraditional settings, including tents, vans and shelters. Chuck King has experienced homelessness, off and on, since he was a teen. While he worked in construction from the time he was 18 until … Continue reading

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This amazing, animated chart shows the aging of America

From the Washington Post: This is a mesmerizing little animation created by Bill McBride of Calculated Risk. It shows the distribution of the U.S. population by age over time, starting at 1900 and ending with Census Bureau forecasts between now and 2060. … Continue reading

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The Trick to Life Is to Keep Moving

By Devi Lockwood in the NYT For many people, roommates and romances are the most important relationships of their late teens and early 20s. For me it was Cora Brooks, a poet and activist 51 years my senior. She taught me … Continue reading

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Dax on the right to self-determination

From the NYT: Dax Cowart and his father, Ray, were ready to drive home on July 25, 1973, after inspecting some land that Ray had hoped to buy in East Texas, but their car would not start. Dax tried the … Continue reading

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Thoughts on living to 100

Thanks to Gordon G for finding this

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‘Very Smart People,’ but a Keyless Car’s Downside Killed Them

Ed Note: I had a similar tragic case where a car was inadvertently left running in a garage as a young mother had to rush into the house with a crying baby. Unfortunately the furnace was in the garage and … Continue reading

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“What almost dying taught me about living”

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Reverse Living

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Memory Sunday Builds Alzheimer’s Awareness

Did you know? Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States, and the fifth leading cause of death of older African Americans. African Americans are generally diagnosed at later stages of Alzheimer’s disease. The risk … Continue reading

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