Podcasts about palliative

Your guide to a kinder end-of-life journey in the ICU. Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. Tan Tock Seng Hospital and National University Hospital recently launched a new initiative called A Kinder ICU that is supported by a 3.93 million grant from the Lien Foundation. The aim is to integrate palliative care into standard ICU treatment. In this episode, Joyce Teo finds out more about the initiative and the nature of palliative care from her two guests. They discuss how palliative care has evolved and how it provides essential support to patients who are critically ill and their families. The conversation also explores the importance of reflecting on the desired quality of life as one approaches the end of their journey. The two guests are Assistant Professor Neo Han Yee, a senior consultant and head of the palliative medicine department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and Ms Charmaine Sim, an advanced practice nurse at the medical intensive care unit at the National University Hospital. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:26 Palliative care 10-20 years ago vs now 5:28 Feeling conflicted seeing a family member in the ICU 9:27 There is an art to palliative care 10:23 Life presents you with unexpected crises 14:10 Medical staff will also feel distressed if they are imposing pain on patients 21:12 Helping the family of a man who fell critically ill just before he was about to return home 23:40 Is it fair to keep trying to save his life? 25:03 The doctor is legally authorised to withdraw life support when life-sustaining efforts are futile, but there’s a need to help the family hold that grief 29:30 Filial piety is a virtue but it can also create a sense of guilt 34:26 What is the minimum quality of life you want to live by? 35:43 You cannot assume that you will pass away in your sleep… Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN Host: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong Follow Health Check Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #healthcheckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Your guide to a kinder end-of-life journey in the ICU. Synopsis: Every first Wednesday of the month, The Straits Times helps you make sense of health matters that affect you. Tan Tock Seng Hospital and National University Hospital recently launched a new initiative called A Kinder ICU that is supported by a 3.93 million grant from the Lien Foundation. The aim is to integrate palliative care into standard ICU treatment. In this episode, Joyce Teo finds out more about the initiative and the nature of palliative care from her two guests. They discuss how palliative care has evolved and how it provides essential support to patients who are critically ill and their families. The conversation also explores the importance of reflecting on the desired quality of life as one approaches the end of their journey. The two guests are Assistant Professor Neo Han Yee, a senior consultant and head of the palliative medicine department at Tan Tock Seng Hospital, and Ms Charmaine Sim, an advanced practice nurse at the medical intensive care unit at the National University Hospital. Highlights (click/tap above): 2:26 Palliative care 10-20 years ago vs now 5:28 Feeling conflicted seeing a family member in the ICU 9:27 There is an art to palliative care 10:23 Life presents you with unexpected crises 14:10 Medical staff will also feel distressed if they are imposing pain on patients 21:12 Helping the family of a man who fell critically ill just before he was about to return home 23:40 Is it fair to keep trying to save his life? 25:03 The doctor is legally authorised to withdraw life support when life-sustaining efforts are futile, but there’s a need to help the family hold that grief 29:30 Filial piety is a virtue but it can also create a sense of guilt 34:26 What is the minimum quality of life you want to live by? 35:43 You cannot assume that you will pass away in your sleep… Read Joyce Teo's stories: https://str.sg/JbxN Host: Joyce Teo (joyceteo@sph.com.sg) Produced and edited by: Amirul Karim Executive producers: Ernest Luis and Lynda Hong Follow Health Check Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops: Channel: https://str.sg/JWaN Apple Podcasts: https://str.sg/JWRX Spotify: https://str.sg/JWaQ Feedback to: podcast@sph.com.sg --- Follow more ST podcast channels: All-in-one ST Podcasts channel: https://str.sg/wvz7 Get more updates: http://str.sg/stpodcasts The Usual Place Podcast YouTube: https://str.sg/theusualplacepodcast --- Get The Straits Times app, which has a dedicated podcast player section: The App Store: https://str.sg/icyB Google Play: https://str.sg/icyX --- #healthcheckSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode of HPNA Palliative Perspective, we're joined by Betty Ferrell—Editor of the Journal of Hospice & Palliative Nursing (JHPN), nurse, and internationally recognized researcher. As the leader of the End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium, she brings a unique perspective shaped by decades of connection with hospice and palliative care nurses across the U.S. and around the world.  Now in her 49th year in nursing—beginning in oncology and entering hospice as it emerged in the United States—Dr. Ferrell reflects on the remarkable growth of the field and where we stand today.  At the heart of this conversation is the idea of a “professional home.” Drawing on the foundational work of pioneers like Florence Wald and Cicely Saunders, she highlights the enduring importance of interprofessional, whole-person care—and the need to stay grounded in those values as the field evolves.  In a time that can feel complex and demanding, this episode offers a clear message: you don't have to do this work alone. Finding your people, building community, and staying connected—through colleagues and organizations like the Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association—are essential to sustaining both practice and purpose.  A thoughtful and reassuring conversation about belonging, connection, and the future of hospice and palliative nursing.      Betty Ferrell, RN, PhD, MA, CHPN®, FAAN, FPCN® Betty Ferrell, RN, PhD, MA, CHPN®, FAAN, FPCN® has been in nursing for 48 years and has focused her clinical expertise and research in pain management, quality of life, and palliative care. Dr. Ferrell is the Director of Nursing Research & Education and a Professor at the City of Hope Medical Center in Duarte, California. She is a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing and she has over 500 publications in peer-reviewed journals and texts. She is Principal Investigator of the “End-of-Life Nursing Education Consortium (ELNEC)” project. She directs several other funded projects related to palliative care in cancer centers and QOL issues. Dr. Ferrell was Co-Chairperson of the National Consensus Project for Quality Palliative Care. Dr. Ferrell completed a Masters degree in Theology, Ethics and Culture from Claremont Graduate University in 2007. She has authored 12 books including the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Nursing (5th Edition, 2019) published by Oxford University Press. She is co-author of the text, The Nature of Suffering and the Goals of Nursing published by Oxford University Press (2nd Ed, 2023) and Making Health Care Whole: Integrating Spirituality into Patient Care (Templeton Press, 2010). In 2013 Dr. Ferrell was named one of the 30 Visionaries in the field by the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. In 2019 she was elected a member of the National Academy of Medicine. In 2021 Dr. Ferrell received the Oncology Nursing Society Lifetime Achievement Award and she was inducted as a “Living Legend” by the American Academy of Nursing   Brett Snodgrass, DNP, FNP-C, ACHPN®, FAANP Dr. Brett Snodgrass has been a registered nurse for 28 years and a Family Nurse Practitioner for 18 years, practicing in multiple settings, including family practice, urgent care, emergency departments, administration, chronic pain and palliative medicine. She is currently the Operations Director for Palliative Medicine at Baptist Health Systems in Memphis, TN. She is board certified with the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners. She is also a Fellow of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners and an Advanced Certified Hospice and Palliative Nurse. She completed a Doctorate of Nursing Practice at the University of Alabama – Huntsville. She is a nationally recognized nurse practitioner speaker and teacher. Brett is a chronic pain expert, working for more than 20 years with chronic pain and palliative patients in a variety of settings. She is honored to be the HPNA 2025 podcast host. She is married with two daughters, two son in laws, one grandson, and now an empty nest cat. She and her family are actively involved in their church and she is an avid reader.

If you could save your loved one from their serious illness, you would do that. Of course you would.You love them and you want the best for them, whether they're battling cancer, Alzheimer's disease, ALS, age-related decline, or another advanced illness. You want to be the best caregiver you can be, and I'll bet you're exhausted.Yet you may be spending your precious energy trying to fix the unfixable, rather than focusing on being wholeheartedly present with your loved one.This episode of The Integrative Palliative Podcast tackles how to show up as the best caregiver you can be and how to figure out what is yours to take on and what is not.I'm glad you're here.Dr. Deliawww.doctordelia.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com  Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

In this raw and unflinching episode of the Prolonged Field Care Podcast, Dennis sits down with Thad Snyder (physician, former medic, and brigade surgeon) to tackle one of the most uncomfortable topics in combat medicine: what happens when resources run out, evacuation timelines collapse, and “doing everything” is no longer possible.Drawing from a 72-page crisis standards of care memo (originally written for flu and updated for COVID), Thad explains the shift from standard → contingency → crisis care, the ethical duty to plan for no-win scenarios, and why medics, teams, and leaders must have real conversations about capabilities, limitations, and what “living” actually means after catastrophic injury. They explore palliative/comfort care in austere environments, the emotional weight of those decisions, and practical ways to share the burden so the medic isn't left carrying it alone.Essential listening for medics, operators, team leaders, and anyone preparing for large-scale combat or prolonged operations where the next casualty might not get a bird out for days or weeks.Key TakeawaysThere is a duty to plan for crisis standards of care before you're in the middle of it.Leaders and teams must understand the real capabilities and limitations of their medics—not the 437-task training list.Pre-mission conversations about quality of life, advanced directives, and unacceptable outcomes give medics a moral framework when they have to make the hardest calls.Palliative/comfort care is already happening in modern conflicts (Ukraine, etc.) even if no one wants to talk about it.The emotional and moral burden of end-of-life decisions cannot fall solely on the medic—teams and leaders must share ownership.Staying busy to “do something” can sometimes cause more harm than shifting to dignity-focused comfort care.Chapters00:00 – Intro & Pulling the Crisis Standards Memo from the Closet00:56 – Standard, Contingency, and Crisis Care: What Changes When Resources Vanish02:51 – The Duty to Plan: Preparing for No-Win Scenarios04:55 – Why Commanders Need Brutally Honest Briefs on Medic Capabilities06:20 – Surgical Team Limitations, Non-Survivable Injuries, and Realistic Expectations08:40 – Advanced Directives, Quality of Life, and “Living vs. Being Alive”11:36 – Palliative Care in Large-Scale Combat (Ukraine, Future Conflicts)13:15 – How (and When) to Have These Conversations with Your Team14:38 – The Emotional Reality: Holding Someone's Hand While They Die Is Harder Than Any Procedure20:33 – Real Hospital Examples of Hard End-of-Life Discussions25:58 – What Outcomes Actually Matter to Warriors? (Walking, talking, independence)32:00 – Using Patient Values as a Moral Framework in Crisis35:04 – Offloading the Burden: Team Ownership of Comfort Care Decisions40:43 – Shared Responsibility, Rituals, and Preventing Moral Injury43:14 – Final Thoughts + Where to Get the Crisis Standards DocumentThis episode is heavy, honest, and desperately needed. Share it with your team.For more content, go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.prolongedfieldcare.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Consider supporting us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/ProlongedFieldCareCollective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.lobocoffeeco.com/product-page/prolonged-field-care⁠

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 28, 2026) – When someone we care about is going through something painful, many of us struggle with the same question: What do I say? On this episode of Behind the Blue, Dr. Abbie Latimer, an assistant professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, talks about hospice and palliative care, serious illness communication and how people can better support one another during difficult moments. Latimer also holds an affiliate appointment in the UK College of Medicine's Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Palliative and Supportive Care.  Before joining the faculty, Latimer worked as a palliative care social worker with UK HealthCare, helping build the inpatient palliative care team and supporting patients, families and care teams through some of life's most difficult conversations. Her current work focuses on research and teaching around serious illness, moral distress, communication and psychosocial care.  Latimer recently spoke at TEDxUKY, where she shared the story of a patient she called "Fred" and explored questions many people face when someone they care about is suffering: What do I say? Why do I sometimes pull away? And how do I find my way back to simply being present? In the conversation, Latimer explains the difference between hospice and palliative care and discusses the broad role social workers play in helping patients and their care systems, including family members, friends, clinicians and community support networks. She also describes why difficult emotions can cause people to reach for familiar phrases such as "hang in there," "stay positive" or "thoughts and prayers," even when those phrases may unintentionally create distance.  Latimer encourages listeners to focus less on finding the perfect words and more on asking open, compassionate questions. Simple prompts such as "Is it okay if we talk about this?" or "What are you most worried about?" can open the door to deeper connection without placing pressure on either person to fix what cannot be fixed.  The episode also explores how silence, presence and listening without an agenda can be meaningful forms of support. Latimer says sometimes the most helpful response is not a solution, but a willingness to sit with someone in the reality of what they are facing. 'Behind the Blue' is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university. 'Behind the Blue' is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for most episodes are now embedded in the audio file and can be accessed in many podcast apps during playback. Transcripts for older episodes remain available on the show's blog page.  To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here. This interview has been edited for time and clarity.

Palliative care in multiple sclerosis spans the disease course, from early screening and support after diagnosis to symptom management and quality‑of‑life optimization in midstage disease, and end‑of‑life care in advanced MS. This episode outlines a staged approach to palliative care, highlights the roles of neurology and primary care teams, and discusses tools such as patient‑reported outcomes and symptom scales to support ongoing assessment of patients and care partners. In this episode, Katie Grouse, MD, FAAN, speaks with Penelope Smyth, MD, FRCPC and Janis M. Miyasaki, MD, MEd, FRCPC, coauthors of the article "Palliative Care in Multiple Sclerosis" in the Continuum® April 2026 Multiple Sclerosis and Related Disorders issue. Dr. Grouse is a Continuum® Audio interviewer and a clinical assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco in San Francisco, California. Dr. Smyth is the director of the Division of Neurology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Dr. Miyasaki is a professor in the Division of Neurology in the Department of Medicine at the University of Alberta and the zone clinical department head for Clinical Neurosciences at Alberta Health Services in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Additional Resources Read the article: Palliative Care in Multiple Sclerosis Subscribe to Continuum®: shop.lww.com/Continuum Earn CME (available only to AAN members): continpub.com/AudioCME Continuum® Aloud (verbatim audio-book style recordings of articles available only to Continuum® subscribers): continpub.com/Aloud More about the American Academy of Neurology: aan.com Social Media facebook.com/continuumcme @ContinuumAAN Full episode transcript available here Dr Grouse: With the new treatments for MS, people might be saying palliative care is not relevant at all. It's about giving up hope and hopelessness. But this article covers why palliative care is important for your patients and families throughout their illness trajectory. Dr Jones: This is Dr Lyell Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Continuum. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio. Be sure to visit the links in the episode notes for information about earning CME, subscribing to the journal, and exclusive access to interviews not featured on the podcast.  Dr Grouse: This is Dr. Katie Grouse. Today, I'm interviewing Drs Penelope Smyth and Janis Miyasaki about their article on palliative care in multiple sclerosis, which appears in the April 2026 Continuum issue on multiple sclerosis. Welcome to the podcast, and please introduce yourselves to our audience.  Dr Smyth: Thank you, Katie. I'm Penny Smyth. I am a neurologist at the University of Alberta, a professor in neurology, and a clinical multiple sclerosis specialist.  Dr Miyasaki: Hi, Katie. Thanks for having us. I'm Janis Miyasaki. I am a movement disorder neurologist primarily who also provides neuropalliative care at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada.  Dr Grouse: It's so great having you today to talk with us about your article. I thought this article was really a wonderful take on the topic. I learned a lot, and I'm really hoping all of our listeners will take advantage of this article and take advantage of all the learning they can get from reading about this topic. So, I wanted to start with a more general question, which is, what is the key message from this article that you're hoping your readers will take away?  Dr Smyth: In terms of key takeaways, I think it's our hope that neurologists will come away from reading this article with, really, an expanded understanding of what palliative care is and how that might be applicable to them in their care for their patients with MS along a continuum of treating people with MS, that there can be components of palliative care and strategies that can be integrated early after diagnosis in, really, anywhere along the continuum of caring for people with MS. We've called that kind of mid-stage. And then there are particular needs for people with MS and their care partners in late-stage or severe MS and end of life that might require different palliative care strategies. I think we kind of have maybe a bit of a bias sometimes in thinking of palliative care as more directed towards those that are near end-of-life. But in fact, it's a much expanded concept.  Dr Miyasaki: And I'll just add that we also discuss a palliative approach, that palliative care skills and philosophies can be used by generalists---in this case, neurologists who are providing care to people with MS---and that adopting certain skills and communication techniques can help us better address our patients' and their families' symptoms. And also to keep in mind that for most people with neurologic illness, the unit of care is not only the patient, but it's the patient and the family, however that family looks.  Dr Grouse: Now, Penny, I'm curious, how are early-stage and mid-stage multiple sclerosis palliative care strategies different from, say, a typical evaluation and counseling that a neurologist would give, say, an MS specialist or even a general neurologist?  Dr Smyth: Thank you, Katie. That's a great question, and something that actually I learned in writing this piece with Janice and from her as a neuropalliative care expert. I think in terms of early strategies around palliative care that can be helpful to the general neurologist in their office, palliative care is about holistic support for patients and their care providers spiritually, emotionally, physically. There are components of palliative care and symptom management and making sure that the patient is at the center of the care, as well as support for their care partners with their holistic approach of relief of suffering as well as offering hope. When I started this piece, I was thinking that many of us neurologists, I think, often informally utilize many of these components already when we're dealing with patients early on after diagnosis in terms of communication, counseling, and education; going through their fear of an uncertain future; spiritual well-being; and then connecting them with supports for adaptive coping strategies. And then as well in mid-stage, which is really around what we can do in symptom management and improving quality of life, with screening tools and patient-reported outcome measures. However, I have to say that there are many unmet needs for people with MS and their care partners that they identify that are clearly not being met by us neurologists in this day and age. So even though we may be incorporating some of these strategies, I don't think we're meeting the mark all the time and hitting the target, especially in our busy office practices, in various ways. Dr Grouse: Given that, at a high level, what are some important early-stage MS palliative care concepts that we should be keeping in mind when we are counseling patients in these stages of the disease? Dr Miyasaki: An important concept to keep in mind for neurologists dealing with early-stage MS patients is that for us, we feel successful that we have made a diagnosis. And yet for the patient, it is taking away that hope. Maybe it's not MS. Maybe I just have a numb hand and it's gonna go away. And for us to appreciate that while we make this diagnosis multiple times a week---or, for MS specialists multiple times a day---for this person, it is the first time, the first experience, and it shakes their entire foundation of who they are as a person, how they will perform all the tasks and roles that they have in society, in their professional lives, in their family structures, and in their close, intimate relationships. As physicians, we may be overwhelmed by acknowledging that. I feel that it's important for us to understand the needs that our patients have and to allow them to have their feelings. You know, feelings can feel messy and time-consuming, and yet when we fully see our patients, I feel that this is the best of medicine. And it certainly is, in terms of palliative care, the principle that we seek. We accept all of the patient, the joy and the sorrow, the anger and the frustration. We accept it all, and we try to determine what will serve this person who is suffering in front of us now.  Dr Smyth: There's another piece to this, which came up as Janice and I were writing together. We were talking about offering a prognosis to a patient as to how they would do, and this was something that I thought deeply about, because I said, we always communicate how uncertain the prognosis is and how we can't predict the future. And then she said to me, well, what about offering a roadmap to a person with MS soon after diagnosis as to how you're gonna determine how they do over the next couple of years? Which are really important years in terms of determining how patients are doing on their disease-modifying therapies, whether they're having progression or not, and things. It's a pivotal time. So, if you can offer a roadmap to a person with MS and say, look, this is when we will be following you up. This is how we will be following you with MRI and biomarkers if you have that available, and this is how we will determine how responsive you are and then how we move forward from there. Dr Grouse: Really important concepts. And the roadmap certainly makes a lot of sense to me and something that, apart from just being useful to the patient for so many reasons to help set expectations, you know, is useful for us to better partner with the patient so they understand this is sort of how we do things and everyone's sort of expectations are met. So, I think those sound like really great goals and things to keep in mind. Now, we talked about early-stage MS palliative care concepts. How does that change as you get into the mid-stage of the disease?  Dr Smyth: Yeah. So, this is reflecting the fact that the course of MS is so different and the experience of MS is so different person to person. And so, what do we do as neurologists when we follow these people long-term over years and decades of living with their MS as their needs evolve, as their symptoms evolve, and as their disability evolves? Well, really, this is about the time of getting into, what are the symptoms that they're struggling with, what are the causes of their suffering at various points? And then how do we identify that, maybe with use of patient-reported outcome measures, screening scales, things like that. And then how do we direct symptomatic management to the specific symptoms that are causing distress to the patient? As well as trying to improve their quality of life in various ways, treating their comorbidities, making sure to check on exercise, healthy living, and that kind of thing.  Dr Grouse: Now getting into, I think, topics that we're more used to thinking about when we think about palliative care: a lot of us, I think, are really unsure of the right time to discuss advanced care directives in the course of multiple sclerosis, and I think that's not helped by the fact that many of us are just, in general, not terribly comfortable talking about those types of things in general. What is your advice to questions like this?  Dr Smyth: And this is something that, again, Janice and I had to come together on, because there is no universal accepted time for when is the right time in multiple sclerosis to discuss advanced care directives and goals of care. And in fact, when they have looked at it in the literature, different things have come out. It has come out that neurologists can be uncomfortable discussing this. There's unique challenges to people with MS in that they have a diagnosis at a young age with an uncertain trajectory of how their course of disease is going to go. And many of these things lead care providers to be somewhat hesitant as to when is the right time, as well as, there were identified barriers within patients themselves as to when the right time might be to discuss. In that, you know, some of the coping strategies might be, as identified by some of the qualitative studies that have been done on this, around the fact that they would prefer to focus on the present rather than the future. In some studies expressed an ambivalence as to when they thought the right time might be, as well as some negative experiences that they might have had from providers trying to discuss these things in their previous experience. So, I went back to looking at the European guidelines for palliative care in MS, who suggested when a person might have severe MS---which they define as walking with bilateral aids for at least twenty meters or an EDSS of six or higher---or trigger-based, when there has been a change in the patient's status, when there's been a decline in some way or progression. Now, this is a little different, actually, than what we offer other people with neurologic diseases, and I don't know if that's the right answer. And this is where I'm going to turn it over to Janice, because I think we could learn something, as neurologists who treat people with MS, from our palliative care specialists.  Dr Miyasaki: I think of advanced care planning in a very different way. I think what a lot of the patients were expressing in the studies was that being asked about advanced care planning signaled to them in some way that they have reached this point in their illness where things aren't going so great and I anticipate that you may run into complications. Whereas in our movement disorder clinic, one of our fellows did a study looking at capacity for decision-making. And even in people who scored normally on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, they had impairments in some of the domains of decision-making. And so, our philosophy in movement disorders at least---and some of our patients are quite young who have multiple system atrophy, they could be in their forties---we take the philosophy that everyone over the age of decision-making capacity, which is generally eighteen, should have some goals of care established. And how I introduce it in my clinic is, you know, for the young resident, you want the full-meal deal, because the likelihood of the resident surviving the ICU admission is very high. And then when we look at me, who… I am older, the likelihood of surviving an ICU admission is considerably lower. And so, the appropriate goals of care might be that I am willing to go to the ICU, and if things go well, then they can continue. But if things are not going well, they can have a discussion with my personal directive or power of attorney to talk about what the goals of care should be. And then the other aspect is sometimes having the conversation with family is really important because most of our families in hospital express an uncertainty. Am I doing the right thing? And they want to do the right thing for their loved ones. And most people actually say, if you ask them, I don't want to burden my family with making decisions that are going to tear at their hearts. So, then we can't actually make good informed decisions for our loved ones unless we have clear conversations. I think it does speak to our superstitious beliefs that if we talk about death, it's going to happen. But I hope the listeners will take my word for it, it really doesn't. And someone had a really good saying about the advanced directive. They're kind of like evening clothes. You should take them out every once in a while and make sure they still fit. And so, when you normalize it in this way, it helps people to just say, oh, yeah, it's once a year. Dr. Miyasaki is gonna ask me about how do I feel about those goals of care. And then it doesn't have this portent of, oh, I'm not doing well. Instead, it's just, this is what we should all be doing for our sake and for our family's sake.  Dr Smyth: Now, one thing that I have to add on to this is that it is important to try to establish advanced care directives before patients experience cognitive decline, because then that can make it a much more challenging conversation and brings nuances of challenge into the interactions, which, you know, are hard.  Dr Grouse: And Penny, I'm glad you brought that up, because I was really struck by that point too when reading this article, how easy it is to miss the subtle signs that cognitive changes are happening. I think it's just- it's a good kind of segue into that topic in general, but it is such an important link to, you know, making sure that you get those advanced directives at a time when the patient's really able to express and understand what they're talking to you about. Now, on the topic of the cognitive screenings, what's a good way to do this type of screening, and why is this type of screening so particularly important in the case of multiple sclerosis?  Dr Smyth: Yeah. Thank you, Katie. I think that it's important for our listeners to think about and recognize when we see our patients with MS because it is one of the invisible symptoms that people with MS can live with and may not be apparent on regular conversation in the office. So, it's important to deliberately ask about subjective challenges in cognition. Ask the partner about how they're doing in terms of their cognition in various ways. As well as asking them and exploring then, how are they doing in their professional roles if they're working or in their surroundings? How are they coping on a daily basis on a cognitive level in addition to a physical level? We know that cognitive issues are actually the biggest contributor for not working and are a huge driver of disability in MS in terms of functioning, even more than physical decline in many ways. So, it is important for us neurologists to keep top of mind and to think about and deliberately attend to. There are screening tests that we can do in the office. The easiest for us, which measures the verbal processing speed, is the SDMT test, which is a ninety-second test matching symbols and numbers. It's easy to do. You can train a MOA to do it before you see the patient and things like that, and it just gives you an idea as to where the patient is at. And usually they're having difficulties if they're greater than two standard deviations below the norm for their age, or if there's a significant drop of four or eight points, and that might signal to you that there might be more going on. You can explore it, and then if you do have this available, the ability to refer for neuropsychological testing if there's questions. But often we can't get it with the MoCA score, unfortunately.  Dr Grouse: Talking about all these concepts, I think they all sound great. I think a lot of us hearing this will naturally say, "Yes, these are absolutely things we should be incorporating in the care of these patients." What I wondered about was, certainly we're all very busy, it is really hard to find time for a lot of these things. We don't always have access to specialists who can help us with some of these conversations. How can we find time, and how can we work this into the care of our patients effectively and still make time for all the other things we have to talk about, and make sure that we're seeing all of our other patients and staying on time and all of those things?  Dr Miyasaki: Yes. I think that's the challenges of dealing with people who actually, over time, their care needs increase, is huge in neurology. I can't think of a single subspecialty where care actually gets easier. It's constantly getting harder. You know, having come from private practice, I completely understand my colleagues' challenges in the community. Some of the ways that other groups have managed this when they don't have government or university support in their center is actually to look at not-for-profits. There are a lot of not-for-profits that can help in terms of wayfinding for social services, explaining to the patients and the family what is available to them. And in fact, some of them can also provide some cognitive supports, as well as point them in the way of day programs. And many of them have very established caregiver support groups, as well as patient support groups for various stages of their illness. So, I think it requires for the individual or small or even a large group practice to be inventive, to look in your community and see what resources are available and free for your patients in order to establish that loose team without boundaries to help your patients. Of course, for those in academic centers, I know that times are tight for all of us, and if you haven't established a team, it is a challenge; and then learning how to write a business plan or a briefing note for your institution and to learn how to speak the love language of administrators, is really key to putting forward the needs of our patients. Which, compared to heart attack patients or hips and knees, they are very rare, and yet our patients can result in significant cost to the healthcare system. So, we do have an opportunity to make the case that putting a little bit of investment in the ambulatory setting can result in significant cost savings to the system when it comes to acute care hospitalization.  Dr Smyth: So, I was thinking, Janis, as you were talking about that, when you were talking about not-for-profit groups, it's really the MS societies in various countries that are very active in this and have a lot of resources available, especially for care partners.  Dr Grouse: Those are really great tips. Thank you for bringing those up as potential other resources we can take advantage of. I wanted to ask specifically about physician-assisted death and assisted suicide, which certainly does come up, especially in later-stage parts of the disease. How can palliative care specialists be helpful when patients do express interest in these types of interventions?  Dr Miyasaki: As you know, Katie, in Canada, we've had a legislative right to access to what we call medical assistance in dying. When the legislation passed, one of my other colleagues and I felt that these were the only conversations we were having with our patients. In all this experience, I have sort of developed in my mind a framework of people who are what we call MAID-curious. They want to know what their rights are and how it would look, when they feel the time is close, for them to exercise that right. And then there are those who are fearful of future suffering. And some of them may have a very unrealistic view of what the future will look like. And this may be in particular for multiple sclerosis because many of the public's view is based on what treatment was like thirty years ago. It may not be informed by more recent treatment where patients actually do quite well, and the majority never get to progressive MS. And so, to explore and be open to that request is the first thing that is important. And then if the person has unresolved symptoms that, traditionally, we can't care for, the palliative care specialist can be very helpful because they just have inventive ways of looking at things. They look at it outside the box, and they have a different toolkit available to them. I would not want all neurologists to just send all these patients requesting physician-assisted death to their palliative care colleagues. But I think for those who are having unaddressed symptoms, it can be very helpful. Certainly, if there is an acute event in the hospital, then this is a time of crisis. And often hospitals will have an in-hospital palliative care team who can come and speak to the patient about what is going on and address some of their needs. And I would also like to emphasize the importance of spiritual care, because for many of our patients, they are not just having the physical suffering, they are also having the spiritual suffering of hopelessness or of feeling that they are a burden or that they just are not seen because a lot of the symptoms in MS are invisible. To have that understanding by a spiritual care counselor is really helpful for the people to feel understood and to reduce some of that suffering.  Dr Grouse: That's a really great point, I think, to end on, and I think it really ties in a lot of the themes that we've been talking about today. Thank you so much for coming to talk with us today. It's been such a pleasure having you both here. Dr Smyth: Thank you. Dr Miyasaki: Thank you, Katie. Dr Grouse: Again, today I've been interviewing Drs Penelope Smyth and Janis Miyasaki about their article on palliative care in multiple sclerosis, which appears in the April 2026 Continuum issue on multiple sclerosis. Be sure to check out Continuum Audio episodes from this and other issues, and thank you to our listeners for joining today.  Dr Monteith: This is Dr. Teshamae Monteith, Associate Editor of Continuum Audio. If you've enjoyed this episode, you'll love the journal, which is full of in-depth and clinically relevant information important for neurology practitioners. Use the link in the episode notes to learn more and subscribe. AAN members, you can get CME for listening to this interview by completing the evaluation at continpub.com/audioCME. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio.

In this episode Laura meets with Michelle Rollinson, who is a Chief executive of St Andrew's hospice. Michelle shares what motivated her to start her nurse training and her first job as a Neonatal intensive care nurse when she first qualified. Michelle discusses her first role and how engaging with post graduate training and education changed her practice and how this also helped when she was supporting students. She shares her move to work at the hospice and how she has held a variety of leadership and management roles, including Head of care for adult and children and now as CEO. Michelle shares her motivations for studying for a MSc in Palliative care. She discusses how the multi disciplinary focus on the modules has assisted her in her leadership roles. Michelle shares advice for any student listeners or anyone wishing to work in palliative care. The episode finishes with Michelle discussing her career goals and plans for the future, working on a local, regional and national level.Please see below for some information about St Andrew's Hospice:At St Andrew's Hospice, we aim to make each day count. As a registered charity, we provide palliative care services for adults, children and families who are living with life-limiting conditions, as well as family bereavement support. We have delivered palliative and end of life care for more than 45 years to people across North East Lincolnshire, and for 25 years to children from the whole of Lincolnshire, Hull, and the East Riding of Yorkshire. We employ just under 200 staff and are supported by more than 450 volunteers, meaning we can provide 24-hour care, seven days a week. It currently costs £7million a year to run the hospice, of which only a fifth is funded by the Government. We rely on the generosity of our community to fund the rest. Anyone can refer – the patient, their family or a medical professional – in writing, by telephone or in person. We are independent of the NHS but work with other healthcare organisations to provide the best possible care. You may know St Andrew's Hospice as a place that looks after adults in the final stages of their lives. We offer the comfort, care and compassion that we believe each one of us deserves, easing pain and managing symptoms whilst providing a holistic hand hold to both our patients and their families. But did you know that the breadth of our care reaches far beyond the confines of our adult inpatient unit? Each year, we also provide thousands of Hospice at Home visits for children across Lincolnshire and East Yorkshire, wellbeing sessions in our garden and creativity room, physiotherapy and lymphoedema treatments, bereavement counselling and complementary therapies. Our hospice is a vibrant, happy place, which celebrates life and living. Whether through a movie marathon at our onsite cinema, art therapy groups in our Coffee Retreat or ukulele groups entertaining patients in our Hub, our focus is on making each day count. Thanks to our donors, supporters and community, we do this at no cost to our patients, for the majority of our services. Their generous support means our hospice care services continue to be delivered both in the community and in our buildings, under one roof, providing high quality, person-centred, holistic palliative care. Our community is at the heart of everything we do. Without them, we simply wouldn't exist. With their support, our aim to ‘Make Each Day Count' is more than words – it is a reality for the adults, children and families who use our services. https://www.standrewshospice.com/

Palliative care விழிப்புணர்வு வாரம் இந்த ஆண்டு மே 10 ஆம் தேதி முதல் 16 ஆம் தேதி வரை கடைபிடிக்கப்படுகிறது. Palliative care இறுதிக்கால சிகிச்சை என்றால் என்ன? இந்த சேவையை யாரெல்லாம் எங்கிருந்து பெற்றுக்கொள்ளலாம்? அதற்கான நடைமுறை என்ன? போன்று Palliative care குறித்து பல கேள்விகளுக்கு பதில் தருகிறார் முதியோர் நல வைத்தியர் Dr பூரணி முருகானந்தம் அவர்கள். அவருடன் உரையாடுகிறார் செல்வி இன்பசேகரன்.

In this week's episode we speak with the authors of “Navigating choice: eating, drinking, and decision-making at end of life for individuals with cognitive impairment” about the vital role speech pathologist play in end-of-life and palliative care. Dr Laura Chahda, Laura Knauer, Darcy Long, Druvni Perera, and Sanora Yonan discuss their recent publication, and how we as speech pathologists can feel empowered to play a pivotal role as a member of these unique care teams. Resources: Chahda, L., Perera, D., Long, D., Knauer, L., & Yonan, S. (2025). Navigating choice: eating, drinking and decision-making at end of life for individuals with cognitive impairment. Journal of Clinical Practice in Speech-Language Pathology, 27(3), 225–233. https://doi.org/10.1080/22000259.2025.2562824 Chahda, L., Mathisen, B. A., & Carey, L. B. (Eds.). (2026). Speech-language pathology and palliative care. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003241966 Elwyn, G., Durand, M. A., Song, J., Aarts, J., Barr, P. J., Berger, Z., … & Frosch, D. L. (2017). A three-talk model for shared decision making: Multistage consultation process. BMJ, 359, j4891. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.j4891 SPA resources: Informed Choice and Shared Decision-Making for Clients who Eat and Drink with Acknowledged Risk Speech Pathology Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of lands, seas and waters throughout Australia, and offers our respect to Elders, across all times and places. The Speak Up podcast recognises the central role of yarning and oral storytelling in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, how this translates to knowledge translation, and that colonisation has interrupted these practices of Language and knowledge sharing. The Speak Up podcast acknowledges the need for truth-telling and deep listening, the central role that Language plays in connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People with Culture, Country, and Community, and the interwoven nature of health, and social and emotional wellbeing. We recognise that the Traditional Owners of the Lands across Australia have been here since time immemorial, and that their sovereignty over this land, was never ceded. Free access to transcripts for podcast episodes are available via the SPA Learning Hub (https://learninghub.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/), you will need to sign in or create an account. For more information, please see our Bio or for further enquiries, email speakuppodcast@speechpathologyaustralia.org.au Disclaimer: © (2026) The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited. All rights reserved. Important Notice, Please read: The views expressed in this presentation and reproduced in these materials are not necessarily the views of, or endorsed by, The Speech Pathology Association of Australia Limited (“the Association”). The Association makes no warranty or representation in relation to the content, currency or accuracy of any of the materials comprised in this recording. The Association expressly disclaims any and all liability (including liability for negligence) in respect of use of these materials and the information contained within them. The Association recommends you seek independent professional advice prior to making any decision involving matters outlined in this recording including in any of the materials referred to or otherwise incorporated into this recording. Except as otherwise stated, copyright and all other intellectual property rights comprised in the presentation and these materials, remain the exclusive property of the Association. Except with the Association's prior written approval you must not, in whole or part, reproduce, modify, adapt, distribute, publish or electronically communicate (including by online means) this recording or any of these materials.

In this episode of The Psychedelic Podcast, Paul F. Austin speaks with Kathryn L. Tucker, J.D., a leading civil rights attorney and advocate for end-of-life autonomy, about the legal effort to expand access to psilocybin-assisted therapy for patients facing serious illness. Find full show notes and links here: https://thethirdwave.co/podcast/episode-353/?ref=278  Kathryn shares how decades of work in right-to-die litigation led her to recognize a critical gap in palliative care, addressing psychological and existential suffering at the end of life. Drawing from emerging clinical research, she explains why psilocybin may offer meaningful relief for anxiety, depression, and distress in terminal patients. The conversation explores the legal pathways being pursued to make this treatment accessible, including Right to Try laws, federal litigation with the DEA, and efforts to reschedule psilocybin. Kathryn also reflects on the broader cultural and ethical implications of allowing individuals greater choice in how they approach death. Kathryn L. Tucker, JD, is a nationally recognized leader in advancing improved care for seriously ill and dying patients. She has held leadership roles across multiple nonprofit organizations, including the National Psychedelics Association, the End of Life Liberty Project, and Compassion & Choices. Tucker has litigated landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including Washington v. Glucksberg and Vacco v. Quill, and has played a key role in both end-of-life litigation and psychedelic policy advocacy. Highlights: Right to Try laws explained Psilocybin as investigational medicine DEA barriers to patient access Litigation strategies for psychedelic access Rescheduling psilocybin efforts Palliative care gaps in mental suffering Legal vs underground psychedelic Episode Links: National Psychedelics Association Kathryn's LinkedIn  Episode Sponsors: The Microdosing Practitioner Certification at Psychedelic Coaching Institute. The Practitioner Certification Program by Third Wave's Psychedelic Coaching Institute. Golden Rule - Get a lifetime discount of 10% with code THIRDWAVE at checkout Disclaimer: This content is for educational, informational, and entertainment purposes only. We do not promote or encourage the illegal use of any controlled substances. Nothing said here is medical or legal advice. Always consult a qualified medical or mental health professional before making decisions related to your health. The views expressed herein belong to the speaker alone, and do not reflect the views of any other person, company, or organization. Third Wave occasionally partners with or shares information about other people, companies, and/or providers. While we work hard to only share information about ethical and responsible third parties, we can't and don't control the behavior of, products and services offered by, or the statements made by people, companies, or providers other than Third Wave. Accordingly, we encourage you to research for yourself, and consult a medical, legal, or financial professional before making decisions in those areas. Third Wave isn't responsible for the statements, conduct, services, or products of third parties. If we share a coupon code, we may receive a commission from sales arising from customers who use our coupon code. No one is required to use our coupon codes.

Send us Fan MailWhat are your health goals? Is your current medication and treatment plan helping you to meet your goals and give you the quality of life you desire. Using the 4m's from Age Friendly Health systems will give you the framework you need for your next doctor visit. Patients have the right to ask honest questions about their health, medications, and treatment options. Learn how Palliative care offers another layer of support and can improve quality of life for those with serious illness or increased symptoms from chronic conditions.  www.ihi.orgSupport the showSeniorSupportStrategies.com when you need guidance navigating senior care or how to create your own Aging in Place strategy. 

Palliative care chaplain Daniel Deloma shares the powerful modality that he uses with seriously ill, hospice and end of life patients - Meditative Heartbeat Therapy.It helps reduce pain, anxiety, and fear and has powerful impacts on patient, family and caregiver wellbeing.It is a technique that family members can use to help their own stress, help their grieving, and support their loved one.Learn more and contact chaplain DeLoma at www.heartbeatherapy.comI'm glad you're here,Dr. Deliahttps://DoctorDelia.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com  Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

Dr. Jenna Skowronski, Dr. Shazli Khan, and Dr. Alix Barnes discuss the involvement of palliative care throughout the heart failure spectrum with Dr. Sarah Chuzi. Audio editing for this episode was performed by CardioNerds Intern, Dr. Julia Marques Fernandes. In this episode, we discuss utilizing palliative care principles while caring for patients with heart failure, particularly those being considered for advanced therapies. We emphasize utilization of communication frameworks when discussing prognosis and making decisions on pursuing therapies such as palliative inotropes, left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), and heart transplant. Additionally, we discuss when to involve specialty palliative care services. Finally, we highlight the difference between palliative care and hospice and how to help patients navigate the transition from life-prolonging care to hospice. Dr. Jenna Skowronski is the Chair for the CardioNerds Heart Failure Council. Dr. Jenna Skowronski and Dr. Shazli Khan are the Co-chairs for the CardioNerds Advanced Heart Failure Therapies Series. Dr. Alix Barnes is the CardioNerds FIT Ambassador at UPMC and member of the CardioNerds Critical Care Cardiology Council. Enjoy this Circulation Paths to Discovery article to learn more about the CardioNerds mission and journey. US Cardiology Review is now the official journal of CardioNerds! Submit your manuscripts here. CardioNerds Heart Success Series PageCardioNerds Episode PageCardioNerds AcademyCardionerds Healy Honor Roll CardioNerds Journal ClubSubscribe to The Heartbeat Newsletter!Check out CardioNerds SWAG!Become a CardioNerds Patron! Pearls Primary palliative care is care provided by a clinician that is not a palliative care specialist, such as a heart failure clinician having a conversation with a patient about their goals and values in clinic.  Taking time to get to know a patient as an individual and learning their goals and values prior to diving into conversations about prognosis and change in treatment plan facilitates more effective goals of care discussions.   Utilizing and practicing a communication framework can improve our skills at goals of care discussions.   Palliative inotropes should be reserved for patients experiencing symptomatic benefit from the therapy that outweighs the associated risks including arrhythmias and infections. The burden of managing these therapies at home should also be considered. Partnerships between cardiologists and hospice agencies can improve the experience for patients with heart failure who enroll in hospice. Cardiologists can continue to see their patients even after hospice enrollment and help with symptom management.   Notes Notes: Notes drafted by Dr. Barnes. 1. What is the difference between primary palliative care and specialty palliative care? Primary palliative care is the delivery of palliative care services that any clinician can deliver. This includes aligning treatment with a patient's goals and basic symptom management. For heart failure patients, symptom management can include cardiac symptoms such as dyspnea and chest pain as well as managing comorbid mood disorders such as adjustment disorder, depression, and anxiety. Advanced palliative care skills take additional training and time to develop. These include leading a difficult family meeting, managing symptoms that are not controlled with standard therapies and responding to emotional and spiritual distress. When these situations are encountered, referral to a specialty palliative care service should be considered. 1 2. How is palliative care integrated throughout the disease trajectory of a patient with heart failure? Heart failure clinicians deliver primary palliative care when assessing a patient's preferences, goals and values or managing symptoms. As a patient's disease progresses, the heart failure team also engages in primary palliative care when delivering news about prognosis. When advanced therapies are being considered, utilization of shared decision-making (SDM) should be employed (see question 3 for further discussion on SDM). For patients being considered for LVAD, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) mandates that patients are seen by a palliative care specialist prior to implantation. 2 Despite this, there remains variability in how institutions involve specialty palliative care in this decision-making process. Thoughtful consideration of what palliative care resources are available at your institution should guide how best to integrate specialty palliative care teams into the LVAD decision tree. One example of a model for meeting this mandate is having a small team of heart failure clinicians with additional palliative care training meet all patient's being evaluate for LVAD. 3. What is shared decision-making (SDM) and how is it utilized when evaluating a patient for advanced therapies? SDM is a collaborative process where patients and clinicians work together to make medical decisions that are aligned with a patient's goals and values.3 There are a variety of communication frameworks that can be used to engage in effective SDM. One framework is the Serious Illness Conversation guide. This is an evidenced based framework that can be used to deliver the news about a patient's current condition and then assess their goals, values and preferences for next steps in their treatment plan.4  This framework can be helpful when discussing prognosis prior to introducing the idea of an evaluation for advanced therapies. REMAP is a second commonly used framework which stands for Reframe, Expect Emotion, Map What's Important, Align, and Plan.5 This framework is similarly helpful when starting a discussion about advanced therapies with a patient. Both frameworks prioritize learning about a patient's goals, values, and preferences prior to making a recommendation for a treatment plan. Listening more than speaking and accepting that a patient and their family may choose a path that is different than what you personally might choose for yourself or your loved ones are vital pillars to engaging in these conversations effectively. When discussing LVAD, it is important to avoid framing the decision as “LVAD or no LVAD,” rather LVAD versus best supportive care. The “Best Case, Worst Case” framework is an effective way to create choice awareness for patients when they are faced with making this decision. This is a way to discuss both the best outcomes after LVAD implantation as well as the potential complications so a patient is better able to understand the full spectrum of possible outcomes. 6 4. How do you select which patients would benefit from home inotrope therapy? There is no data demonstrating a survival benefit with use of palliative inotropes. There may be subsets of patients who derive a survival benefit, such as patients whose renal function worsens when the agent is withdrawn, however there is no concrete data proving this. 7 Therefore, the benefit of home inotrope therapy should be based on if the patient derives symptomatic benefit from these agents. Additionally, risks of the therapy such as arrhythmias and infection as well as the burden of managing these therapies at home should also be weighed in the decision.8 Life expectancy for patients being initiated on palliative inotropes likely ranges from 6 to 9 months. Given this prognosis, concordant palliative care efforts should be intensified when starting patients on these agents. This can either be through involvement in specialty palliative care or increasing primary palliative care interventions. 9 5. How do you determine if a patient would be a candidate for hospice and how do you discuss hospice with patients and their families? Hospice is a comprehensive program that provides supportive care to patients at end of life. This includes a team of physicians, nurses, aids, social workers and chaplains that can deliver care in the home, at a nursing facility, or in an inpatient hospice facility. 10 Patients with a prognosis of 6 months or less can qualify for hospice services. Even if a patient qualifies for hospice based on their prognosis, it is important to assess if a patient's goals and values align with hospice. Introducing hospice to patients who still desire life prolonging care can cause mistrust between the patient and their health care team. When introducing hospice, it is helpful to describe the services hospice offers in addition to naming the service as some patients may have a negative connotation with the word “hospice.” 6. How can cardiologists partner with hospice agencies to provide better care for these patients? Heart failure specialists can continue to see their patients even after they enroll in hospice. Partnering in hospice agencies in this way can help improve symptom management for patients while also allowing them to continue meaningful relationships with providers with whom they've developed a longitudinal relationship with. Guideline directed medical therapy (GDMT) and diuretics can be continued while enrolled in hospice as long as they are offering symptomatic benefit. Heart failure specialists can help with adjusting GDMT to cheaper formulations, such as exchanging angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors (ANRIs) for angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs). Many hospice agencies cannot accept patients receiving palliative inotropes due to the resources and training required to safely care for these patients. Understanding what hospice agencies in your area can and cannot support allows heart failure specialists to have informed discussions with patients and make appropriate referrals. References Quill TE, Abernethy AP. Generalist plus Specialist Palliative Care — Creating a More Sustainable Model. N Engl J Med. 2013;368(13):1173-1175. doi:10.1056/NEJMp1215620. https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp1215620 Ventricular Assist Devices for Bridge-to-Transplant and Destination Therapy. Published online August 1, 2013. https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncacal-decision-memo.aspx?proposed=Y&NCAId=268 Godfrey S, Barnes A, Gao J, Katz JN, Chuzi S. Shared Decision-making in Palliative and End‑of‑life Care in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. US Cardiol Rev. 2024;18:e13. doi:10.15420/usc.2024.03. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39494405/ Baxter R, Pusa S, Andersson S, Fromme EK, Paladino J, Sandgren A. Core elements of serious illness conversations: an integrative systematic review. BMJ Support Palliat Care. 2024;14(e3):e2268-e2279. doi:10.1136/spcare-2023-004163. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11671901/ Childers JW, Back AL, Tulsky JA, Arnold RM. REMAP: A Framework for Goals of Care Conversations. J Oncol Pract. 2017;13(10):e844-e850. doi:10.1200/JOP.2016.018796. https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JOP.2016.018796 Kruser JM, Nabozny MJ, Steffens NM, et al. “Best Case/Worst Case”: Qualitative Evaluation of a Novel Communication Tool for Difficult in-the-Moment Surgical Decisions. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2015;63(9):1805-1811. doi:10.1111/jgs.13615. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4747100/ Tolia S, Khan M, Khan S, et al. Mortality and long-term outcomes of palliative inotropes in ischemic and non-ischemic cardiomyopathy. Eur Heart J.  2021;42(Supplement_1):ehab724.0915. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehab724.0915. https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/42/Supplement_1/ehab724.0915/6392681 Chuzi S, Allen LA, Dunlay SM, Warraich HJ. Palliative Inotrope Therapy: A Narrative Review. JAMA Cardiol. 2019;4(8):815. doi:10.1001/jamacardio.2019.2081. https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamacardiology/article-abstract/2737414#google_vignette Chuzi S, Gao J, Thariath J, et al. Characteristics and Outcomes of Palliative Continuous Intravenous Inotrope Support Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Heart Failure. J Am Heart Assoc. 2025;14(14):e039397. doi:10.1161/JAHA.124.039397. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.124.039397 What is hospice? Published online September 24, 2024. https://hospicefoundation.org/what-is-hospice/

“Palliative care is always available,” says Jennifer Eitingon, M.D., fellowship-trained Palliative Care Physician at Home Health and Hospice in Rapid City. Dr. Eitingon joins host Mark Houston to explain how palliative care is a specialty and not just a part of hospice care. In treating patients experiencing life-limiting conditions, Dr. Eitingon helps to improve quality of life through pain management, psychosocial support and advanced directives. Dr. Eitingon details why she switched her medical focus from surgery to palliative care and how patients' spiritual and ethical beliefs must be considered in her work. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"A Chaplain's View of the Resurrection" Scripture: John 5:24; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 3:20 Date: Easter Sunday The resurrection isn't just a historical event we celebrate once a year. It's a present reality that meets people in their darkest moments. This Easter, we explored what resurrection power looks like from a chaplain's perspective—not in ancient Jerusalem, but in modern hospital rooms. Three stories. Three encounters with grace. Three demonstrations of resurrection power. First, grace makes us ready to die. A man in his late seventies was admitted with severe circulation issues requiring amputation. For a week, he refused the surgery. Medical teams pleaded. Palliative care tried. Finally, they called the chaplain. When we talked, the real issue emerged—not his leg, but his soul. Thirty years ago, he had been unfaithful to his wife. The guilt had never left. His question: "Can I be forgiven? Am I ready to stand before God like this?" We talked about confession, grace, and the cross of Christ—that there is no sin so deep that His blood does not go deeper still. When we prayed, peace filled the room. Then something sacred happened. He asked his wife to sit down and confessed everything to her. She looked at him and said, "The day you told me—years ago—I decided that I would forgive you. And so… I do." Complete grace. They embraced. And then he turned to me: "You can tell the doctors I don't want the surgery. I'm ready for hospice." He hadn't been refusing because he didn't understand the risks. He wasn't ready to die—not carrying that burden. But now the guilt was gone. Grace had made him ready. Romans 8:1: "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Second, grace makes us able to live. A young mother went in for a C-section and suffered a catastrophic complication—amniotic fluid embolism. Both she and the baby went into cardiac arrest. After twelve hours of surgery and catastrophic liver bleeding, the doctors said, "There's nothing more we can do." Her husband paced the ICU, praying desperately in Portuguese—the Ave Maria, over and over. Through tears, he even agreed to organ donation: "If she cannot live… let her help someone else live." But the next morning, something impossible happened. Overnight, she stabilized. No new intervention. No explanation. She was placed on ECMO. She kept improving. When her husband spoke to her, her eyes turned toward his voice. He fell to his knees—this time in gratitude. Doctors asked, "Was this… a miracle?" They knew the numbers: less than 1% survival rate. Their answer: "There's no explanation." She went home—to her husband, her family, the daughter she almost never met. Ephesians 3:20: "Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine." Third, grace secures a life death cannot touch. John, a young man in his early 30s with ALS, suffered cardiac arrest and was not expected to survive. But his best friend shared something remarkable: for six months, Mark had been coming to church, asking questions, wrestling with faith. One day, his best friend sat with him for two hours, opened the Scriptures, and shared the gospel. Mark believed. He wanted to follow Christ. He wanted to be baptized. They picked the date: Easter Sunday. But instead of a baptismal pool, we stood in an ICU. His best friend asked asked, "Can we still do it?" That afternoon, surrounded by family and friends, I baptized Mark. "Baptism is like a wedding ceremony," I explained. "It doesn't create the love it reveals it. God had already poured His love into John's heart." Days later, John died. Through organ donation, four other lives were saved. But John had already crossed over from death to life. John 5:24: "Whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has crossed over from death to life." Three rooms. Three stories. One God still writing stories of resurrection power today.

This three-part series from the Pre-Hospital Care Podcast explores the evolving and critical role of ambulance clinicians in palliative and end-of-life care, from first principles through to the final hours of life.In Part 1, we introduce key concepts of palliative and end-of-life care alongside a dedicated specialist team. We examine the differences between generalist and specialist palliative care, the challenges of identifying patients in their last year of life, and the service gaps and educational barriers within prehospital settings. Tools like SPICT, referral pathways, advanced care planning, and the importance of simulation training and national collaboration are all discussed.Part 2 takes a closer look at the final year of life in the prehospital setting. We explore the rapid, high-stakes decisions ambulance clinicians must make, often without a full medical history, and how documentation, such as advance directives, can guide care. We also examine shared decision-making, the NHS Long Term Plan, and the cultural, systemic, and logistical barriers that complicate effective advance care planning.Part 3 focuses on the final days and hours. Paramedics are often the first to recognise active dying, navigating symptoms like terminal agitation, carer breakdown, and family distress. We discuss anticipatory medications, breaking bad news using frameworks such as Ask-Tell-Ask, and the vital emotional support clinicians provide. The series closes by reflecting on cultural diversity, from language barriers to religious rituals, reminding us that compassionate, person-centred care must be inclusive and adaptable for every patient and family.If you want to catch up on the Palliative Care Series on the PHCP, you can listen to the full collection below. Across these three episodes, we explore the evolving role of ambulance clinicians in end-of-life care, the challenges of identifying patients in their last year of life, and the complexities of delivering compassionate, patient-centred care in the pre-hospital environment. This also includes a fourth episode on Palliative Care Case Studies. Listen to all episodes here:Episode 1: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/palliative-and-end-of-life-care-in-pre-hospital/id1441215901?i=1000710805396Episode 2: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-last-year-of-life-palliative-and-end-of/id1441215901?i=1000714113716Episode 3: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-dying-patient-palliative-and-end-of-life-care-part-3/id1441215901?i=1000718217210Episode 4: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/palliative-care-case-studies-with-the-palliative-and/id1441215901?i=1000727796192This episode is sponsored by PAX: The gold standard in emergency response bags.When you're working under pressure, your kit needs to be dependable, tough, and intuitive. That's exactly what you get with PAX. Every bag is handcrafted by expert tailors who understand the demands of pre-hospital care. From the high-tech, skin-friendly, and environmentally responsible materials to the cutting-edge welding process that reduces seams and makes cleaning easier, PAX puts performance first. They've partnered with 3M to perfect reflective surfaces for better visibility, and the bright grey interior makes finding gear fast and effortless, even in low light. With over 200 designs, PAX bags are made to suit your role, needs, and environment. And thanks to their modular system, many bags work seamlessly together, no matter the setup.PAX doesn't chase trends. Their designs stay consistent, so once you know one, you know them all. And if your bag ever takes a beating? Their in-house repair team will bring it back to life.PAX – built to perform, made to last.Learn more at https://www.pax-bags.com/

When a loved one has a serious illness like cancer or dementia, or they have age-related decline, it can seem like your life has turned upside-down. Nobody prepares you for this.Sometimes the skills that are helpful in regular life actually make caregiving harder. But you can repurpose those skills to make caregiving easier.This episode of The Integrative Palliative Podcast will show you why hyper-competent people can struggle when a loved one is ill - and what to do about it.- Doctor Deliawww.DoctorDelia.comFree Guide: Nobody Prepares You for Thishttps://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/pl/2148761984 Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com  Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

“Why does someone need to be the first trillionaire? The damage it's doing just to get to that level is extreme.” — Glen GalaichExcessive wealth disorder. It sounds like a disease — which, at least according to Glen Galaich — CEO of the Stupski Foundation and author of Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short, it is. There's $2 trillion sitting in American charitable accounts Galaich says, mostly invested in hedge funds and real estate. Foundations are legally required to distribute only 5% a year — the bare minimum — and invest the remaining 95% to ensure they can make that back and live forever. The system rewards perpetuity over impact. The money is stuck — like most other things in America. And this philanthropic wealth is predicted to grow to $18 trillion by 2050 — twice the size of the annual federal budget. A truly excessive wealth disorder.Galaich wants to unstick the system. When a donor puts money in a private foundation, they receive up to a 70% tax exemption. The public is forgoing taxation in return for public stewardship. But donors still think it's their money. That's Galaich's Control problem. Carnegie pioneered this idea that the wealthy know best how to distribute their wealth. The Sacklers perfected its dark arts. Bill Gates sits somewhere in between. While billionaires like Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen reject it entirely.Galaich's own foundation is giving up control — returning all its resources to communities by 2029. In Hawaii, he gave $15 million to people who actually lived there. They moved all of it within five months to health clinics on neighbouring islands that had never had discretionary money. His deeper frustration is with progressive philanthropy's failure to coordinate. Conservative donors give around two issues — free markets and liberty — in coordinated fashion. Progressive philanthropy, in contrast, is fragmented, fearful, and obstinately sitting on its capital. There's a new institute in the Bay Area called the Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute. The disease is real. And so is its cure.•       $2 Trillion Is Sitting in Charitable Accounts: Mostly invested in hedge funds and real estate. Philanthropic wealth in the US is predicted to grow from $2 trillion to $18 trillion by 2050 — twice the size of the annual federal budget. Foundations are required to give only 5% a year. The rest grows. The money isn't moving because the system rewards perpetuity over impact.•       It's Not Their Money Anymore: When a donor puts money in a private foundation, they receive up to a 70% tax exemption. The public is forgoing taxation in return for public stewardship. But donors still think it's their money. That's the control problem at the heart of Galaich's book — and why so much of big giving serves the donor, not the community.•       Excessive Wealth Disorder Is Real: Galaich cites the Excessive Wealth Disorder Institute in the Bay Area. Why does someone need to be the first trillionaire? The damage done to society just getting to that level — environmental, human, democratic — is extreme. And the Giving Pledge is collapsing: Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen have pulled out. Andreessen argues his investments are his philanthropy.•       The Hawaii Example: Stupski gave $15 million to people from Hawaii who lived and worked there. They moved all of it within five months to health clinics on the neighbouring islands that had never had discretionary money. Palliative care, community outreach, home visits — none of which Medicaid allowed. That's what happens when you let go of control.•       Progressive Philanthropy Can't Coordinate. Conservatives Can: Conservative donors give around two issues — free markets and liberty — and they give in coordinated fashion over long periods. That's how you get the Federalist Society, Heritage, ALEC, and possibly Donald Trump. Progressive philanthropy is fragmented, siloed, and in a state of fear that the current administration will freeze their assets. The left has moved into protection mode when it should be distributing. About the GuestGlen Galaich, PhD, is the CEO of the Stupski Foundation, one of the nation's most ambitious philanthropic spend-down efforts. He hosts the Break Fake Rules podcast and writes the Who Gives? Substack. Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short is published by Wiley, with a foreword by Ibram X. Kendi.References:•       Control: Why Big Giving Falls Short by Glen Galaich (Wiley, 2026) — the book under discussion.•       Who Gives? Substack — Galaich's newsletter on reforming philanthropy.•       Episode 2845: Let's Ban Billionaires — Noam Cohen on the Know-It-Alls. Galaich picks up where Cohen left off.About Keen On AmericaNobody asks more awkward questions than the Anglo-American writer and filmmaker Andrew Keen. In Keen On America, Andrew brings his pointed Transatlantic wit to making sense of the United States — hosting daily interviews about the history and future of this now venerable Republic. With nearly 2,800 episodes since the show launched on TechCrunch in 2010, Keen On America is the most prolific intellectual interview show in the history of podcasting.WebsiteSubstackYouTubeApple PodcastsSpotify Chapters:(00:31) - Introduction: Noam Cohen, banning billionaires, and the tide turning (02:33) - What is philanthropy? Carnegie and the love of humanity (05:04) - Sloan, Rockefeller, Stanford: the first generation of know-it-all givers (06:49) - Peter Thiel and Marc Andreessen pull out of the Giving Pledge (09:05) - The Sacklers: the worst argument for philanthropy (09:57) - Bill Gates: for or against control? (11:53) - It's not their money anymore: the public stewardship illusion (14:00) - Andreessen vs. community: who decides what people need? (15:33) - The Stupski model: $374 million returned to communities (18:47) - Hawaii: $15 million moved in five months to clinics that never had discretionary funds (21:27) - Can philanthropy save democracy? (24:22) - Democracy Forward and the $2 trillion sitting in accounts (29:38) - Excessive Wealth Disorder: why does anyone need to be a trillionaire? (33:00) - Progressive philanthropy's failure to coordinate (35:14) - The Monty Python troll: the CEO as gatekeeper to the donor

In this episode Rosie Moss is joined by writer and lifelong music obsessive Cath Holland. Cath brings her husband Andy vividly to life, a thoughtful, principled “music buff” whose love of records, gigs and humour carried them through 25 years together and somehow held on right until the end.The conversation begins in the life before. Liverpool gig scenes, record shops, and a shared vinyl collection built over decades. Cath still laughs remembering the moment Andy first asked her out, by ringing her landline like it was 1987.Then comes the rupture. Cath walks Rosie through the brutal speed of Andy's bowel cancer diagnosis. The failed prep. The endless hospital wait. Being told there was an “84% chance” of cancer just days before Christmas. Early reassurances quickly turned into the reality of stage four disease.Together they talk about the parts people rarely say out loud. Stomas, infections, DNAR conversations, and the relentlessness of becoming a carer while watching the person you love slip away. Cath also speaks about the strange intimacy of keeping someone at home after they die.From there the conversation moves into the long tail of grief. Funerals. Ashes sitting on a shelf surrounded by Beatles books. The support cliff that arrives after everyone goes home. And the exhausting work of rebuilding a future that was never meant to be yours.This is a conversation about love, music, caregiving, class, and the quiet endurance required to keep going when the soundtrack of your life suddenly stops.In this episode:• How Cath and Andy's relationship was built through music, Liverpool gigs, record collecting and the rituals that still anchor her now.• The diagnostic timeline that still feels unreal: repeat endoscopies, a dread filled wait, and being told there was an “84% likelihood” of cancer days before Christmas.• Medical whiplash and systemic failure when tumours initially shrank but surgery was later ruled out because hospital teams weren't communicating properly.• What “dying at home” can actually look like, from hospice at home support and syringe drivers to district nurses and the decision to stay out of hospital in the final week.• Small moments of joy when there is no bucket list, including record shopping, Saturday lunches and comfort music from The Beatles and Creedence.• After death: the funeral as a rare moment of collective support, a Beatles shrine for the ashes, and the quiet bubble before telling the world.• The secondary losses people rarely talk about including work, identity, grief brain and the physical impact of prolonged stress and caregiving.• The kind of support that actually helps bereaved people and the things well meaning friends often get wrong.A beautiful, honest conversation about music, love, caregiving and the long echo of loss.Chapters0:07 Welcome + Kath and Andy: a life built on music6:50 From first symptoms to diagnosis: the long, frightening wait9:54 Treatment twists: radiotherapy, chemo hope, then stage four12:44 Palliative care, hospice, and choosing home18:59 Living inside terminal illness: day-to-day love, fear, and admin26:07 The last weeks and days: care at home, music, and the moment of death37:04 What happens next: overnight at home, funeral, ashes, and keeping love close42:59 The fallout: isolation, practical help, money, class, and work after loss64:29 Rebuilding a life: identity, exhaustion, joy, and messages for the newly widowed#widowedaf #widowhood #griefpodcast #bereavement #hospicecare #palliativecare #cancerjourney #endoflifeplanning #griefandmoney #workingclassvoices

179 Hospice Is About Living: Honest Conversations, Palliative vs. Hospice, and Supporting Nurses with Gina Harris MSN, MSQT Host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, interviews Gina Harris MSN, MSQT, Chief Clinical Officer at Marisol Health in South Carolina, about hospice education and reducing fear around end-of-life care. Gina shares her career path from mortgage banking to 25 years in nursing, including critical care leadership and work as a CMS-certified surveyor, and explains how hospice nursing is emotionally demanding and often undervalued. The conversation centers on the need for honest communication about dying, including a story of a woman with recurring cancer who pursued a third major surgery before choosing hospice and dying days later, highlighting "chasing normal" and the limits of prognostic estimates. Gina describes hospice as support for living with comfort and dignity, outlines palliative care versus hospice, and explains how Marisol trains staff through in-services, role playing, interdisciplinary visits, and certification. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:29 Meet Host Marie 00:45 Introducing Gina Harris MSN, MSQT 02:11 Gina's Nursing Journey 04:09 Why Hospice Matters 06:05 Coaching Nurses to Talk 08:29 Chasing Normal Story 13:42 Hard Truths and Hospice 18:21 Hospice Is About Living 20:23 Palliative vs Hospice Care 23:32 Training Staff for Truth 26:44 Hospice as a Choice 28:15 Signing Up and Opting Out 29:42 Closing Thanks and Location 30:21 Final Wrap Up   https://mirasolhealth.org/   If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link   https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice  Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast.  Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the  cloud9caresystem.com,  When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You) Marie's Contact Marie@HospiceExplained.com www.HospiceExplained.com   Finding a Hospice Agency 1. You can use Medicare.gov to help find a hospice agency, 2. choose Find provider 3. Choose Hospice 4. then add your zip code This should be a list of Hospice Agencies local to you or your loved one.

At a time when modern medicine is allowing people to enjoy longer, fuller lives, mortality is not always a chief concern. But when a serious illness occurs, the topic becomes unavoidable. This became especially clear during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when hospitals were overrun with patients, many with grim prognoses. "The pandemic gave all of us a sense that life can be short and there's the very real possibility of dying," says Jennifer Kapo, MD, director of the Palliative Care Program at Yale New Haven Hospital. "It opened the door for us to talk more about death and have a better sense of our mortality." Palliative care is a caregiving approach for anyone with a serious or chronic medical condition; its goal is to maximize quality of life and manage symptoms. In addition to helping patients and their families navigate difficult conversations and decisions, palliative care team members are attentive to "goals of care," which means understanding the patient's wishes and how medical steps can help achieve them. For example, if a patient has a low likelihood of coming off a ventilator, that would be made clear to them, if possible, before they were put on one, explains Laura Morrison, MD, a physician in the Palliative Care Program. "The pandemic highlighted the need for us to have more proactive and earlier conversations with patients and their families. If we gave them the chance to make a choice, some might say they don't want to die in an intensive care unit," Dr. Kapo adds. Still, many people still aren't sure what palliative care really means. Below, we talk with a few members of Yale Medicine's program to better understand it. How does palliative care differ from hospice care? Palliative care is a specialized model of care for people living with serious or chronic illnesses including cancer, heart and liver failure, dementia, and pulmonary disease. Like hospice care, the focus is on maximizing comfort and quality of life. But palliative and hospice care differ in that hospice is for patients who are not receiving life-extending treatment, and is typically limited to the last six months—or less—of one's life. Palliative care, conversely, can be integrated into a patient's medical care at any point during their illness, from diagnosis to end-of-life, and can include life-extending medical treatment. "Essentially, palliative care is an extra layer of support for any patient who has a serious illness. That can include attention to pain and other symptom management, as well as help coping with the stress of having the illness," Dr. Morrison explains. "We also focus on facilitating communication between patients, their families, and medical providers." The Palliative Care Program has 35 members in various disciplines, including physicians, nurses, social workers, a chaplain, a psychologist, and a pharmacist. Palliative care services are offered to all patients at Yale New Haven Hospital and Smilow Cancer Hospital, and at Smilow's outpatient offices. And it provides care on a spectrum, based on what patients and their loved ones need in the moment. "At the beginning of a serious illness, a patient's needs might revolve around addressing anxiety over their diagnosis," Dr. Kapo says. Plus, taking care of the entire family, and not just the patient, is an important element, Dr. Kapo adds. "Our goal is to provide the best quality of life possible to patients and their families, which is why our bereavement program is also an important element. Our care does not stop when a loved one dies," she says. How is palliative care broached with patients? Because Yale Medicine offers palliative care to hospitalized patients, that is often where someone first hears about the model of care. "We typically structure the conversation broadly at first and ask a patient what they understand about their illness, what they have heard about it, and what they believe about it," Dr. Kapo says. "If a patient has no idea that death is a real possibility, we spend a lot of time sharing information. Or, if they have been sick for five years and know that time may be short, we talk about what is important to them and what they want to do with the time they have left." That, Dr. Kapo says, opens a conversation about a patient's values. "We listen very carefully and get a sense of whether this is a patient with goals of wanting to extend life no matter what it takes, or someone who is more interested in quality of life," she says. The goal of palliative care is not to change a patient's mind about their decisions, she adds. "It's to listen to a patient's story and support their decisions," Dr. Kapo says. "If someone tells me that they will fight for every last second of life, no matter what the cost might be physically, then we honor that." Meanwhile, a social worker can provide support and address any psychosocial issues. For example, if someone is just diagnosed with a critical illness, their primary concern might be how they can still work and pay their bills. The team's social worker can help them navigate the logistics of their health insurance coverage and sick time policies, among other issues. With other patients, the social worker might help explain a diagnosis to a patient's children in an age-appropriate way. The program also has a medical-legal partnership that assists patients with estate planning; navigating entitlements, including Social Security and insurance; and advance directives (a living will), a written statement of a patient's wishes regarding medical treatment in the event they are unable to communicate them to a doctor. What are the benefits of palliative care? Palliative care is by no means a new medical concept. In fact, it was all medical providers had before many current treatments were invented. "Back in the early 20th century, before antibiotics and chemotherapy and many other therapies we now have, physicians provided palliative care as their treatment," Dr. Morrison says. "Our job was to be present, hold hands with patients, and relieve symptoms as it was possible. Morphine might have been given for pain." Today, palliative care encompasses not only all the advanced medical treatments and medications now available, but it is increasingly being woven into care for chronic conditions. Meanwhile, research has shown that palliative care is effective. One study published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2010 examined patients newly diagnosed with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer. One group received standard oncologic care; the other had standard oncologic care with palliative care added on. Those in the palliative care group reported less anxiety and depression and were also hospitalized less. They also lived a month longer. Subsequent similar studies expanding to other populations with advanced serious illness have also shown positive outcomes.  (CREDITS: YALE MEDICINE)

Caregivers put so much energy into caregiving yet they still struggle with self-criticism and feeling like their best isn't good enough.Every caregiver deserves self-forgiveness.Listen this week to find out the five areas that can lead caregivers to carry shame, and what they can do about it.Your wellbeing matters.Doctor Deliawww.DoctorDelia.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

They Said “Prepare for the Worst” ... Then Everything Changed. Shelly Boudah shares her journey with being diagnosed with stage 4 breast cancer that spread to her lymph nodes, neck and liver. She was offered palliative care. She went for a 3 week cancer treatment at Sanoviv medical institute in mexico and a few short weeks later she got her life back! Shelly's positivity, persistane, and knowledge is so impressive. Join us today as she talks about her diagnosis, her journey and her results. Shelly Boudah Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shelly_boudahEquip Foods Grass-fed beef protein - Code: MARLAWant to work with me? email me to health@holisticspring.com

பன்முக கலாசார சமூகங்களில் Palliative care இறுதிக்கால பராமரிப்பு சேவைகளை மேம்படுத்துவதை நோக்கமாக கொண்டு இயங்கி வரும் ‘பாலம்' தொண்டு நிறுவனம் யாழ்ப்பாணம் மற்றும் தமிழ்நாட்டில் Palliative care ward ஒன்றை கட்டுவதற்கு நிதி திரட்டும் நிகழ்வாக வழி(லி) என்ற பரதநாட்டிய நிகழ்ச்சி ஒன்றை நடத்தவுள்ளது. இந்த நிகழ்ச்சி குறித்த தகல்களை நம்மோடு பகிர்ந்து கொள்கிறார்கள் ‘பாலம்' நிறுவனத்தின் Dr பிரணவன் கணேசலிங்கம் மற்றும் இந்நிகழ்ச்சியில் பங்கேற்க இந்தியாவிலிருந்து வருகை தரும் பரதநாட்டிய கலைஞர் பவஜன் குமார் அவர்கள். அவர்களோடு உரையாடுகிறார் செல்வி இன்பசேகரன்.

Palliative care physician and certified physician development coach Christie Mulholland discusses her article "Why every physician needs a sabbatical (and how to take one)." Christie reveals the harsh reality that while sabbaticals exist on paper, unwritten rules often prevent doctors from accessing this critical recovery tool until it is too late. She shares her personal journey of taking an unsanctioned, unpaid break to combat burnout and how that decision allowed her to return to medicine with renewed purpose. The conversation explores why elite athletes and tech companies prioritize strategic rest while health care treats it as a luxury, offering practical steps for financial planning and reentry. Discover how stepping away from the grind might actually be the only way to stay in the profession you love. True team-based care starts with you. When you join ChenMed, you'll feel seen, heard, and valued. That's because ChenMed practices transformative, physician-led care, focusing on prevention and empowering providers to have a lasting impact on their patients and communities. So, whether you're applying for a primary care physician, nurse practitioner, cardiologist, or medical director position, you'll feel supported and fulfilled in every aspect of your career. Find a job that feels right. Visit ChenMed.com/Physicians to learn more. VISIT SPONSOR → https://chenmed.com/Physicians SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

It is hard to be a doctor and it is hard to be a patient (or a family member of a patient). Everyone in the healthcare system is frustrated.Both patients and doctors are doing their best, but sometimes it doesn't feel that way. Doctors are busy and burned out which can make patients and families feel blown off or disrespected.The week on The Integrative Palliative Podcast you'll get an insider's view of how to get the best from your doctor.www.DoctorDelia.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

Ref.: Manuela Bräutigam, Kinderkrankenschwester und Lisa Schmid, Mutter von Linea Wenn ein ungeborenes Kind an einer schweren und unheilbaren Krankheit leidet, dann stehen die Eltern vor einer schweren Entscheidung. Viele Ärzte empfehlen eine Abtreibung, die Tötung des Kindes. Doch es gibt eine Alternative: die palliative Geburt. Dabei steht nicht die Verlängerung der Lebenszeit des Neugeborenen im Vordergrund, sondern die bestmögliche Lebensqualität und das Befinden des Kindes sowie seiner Familie. Egal, ob das Kind nur wenige Augenblicke lebt, noch Wochen oder Monate - oder schon tot geboren wird. Die Kinderkrankenschwester Manuela Bräutigam begleitet Eltern auf diesem Weg, der geprägt ist von Schock, Trauer, Angst und Enttäuschung - aber oft auch von einer besonders innigen Beziehung zu dem scheidenden Kind. Sie ist unser Gast in der Lebenshilfe am Tag der Kinderhospizarbeit, gemeinsam mit Lisa Schmid, deren Tochter Linea wenige Wochen nach der Geburt gestorben ist, Sie und ihr Mann wussten, dass ihr Kind wenig Überlebenschancen haben würde, und dennoch haben sie sich dafür entschieden, die Schwangerschaft weiter zu führen und ihr Kind auf die Welt zu bringen. Heute erzählt sie uns Lineas berührende Geschichte.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (February 5, 2026) – From College of Medicine research labs to the halls of UK HealthCare, Lindsay Ragsdale, M.D., has spent much of her career here at the University of Kentucky. Now the chief medical officer for Golisano Children's at UK, she oversees a growing team of specialists and subspecialists dedicated to providing the most complex care for the children of Kentucky. In this episode of "Behind the Blue," Ragsdale discusses her career at UK, the role of palliative care, the growth of the children's hospital and her own son's experience as a pediatric cardiology patient. As a "Woman of Impact" nominee for the American Heart Association's current fundraising campaign, she also highlights how AHA helps fund an important initiative overseen by a Golisano team – Project ADAM in Kentucky. Below are highlights from the conversation, and you can listen to the full episode through the media player at the top of the page. Building a foundation of pediatric palliative care A Tennessee native, Ragsdale attended Centre College in Danville, Kentucky, and came to UK for medical school and residency. She began her medical journey as a researcher, working in the UK College of Medicine's Department of Physiology and studying potential ways to prevent damage from heart attacks. "[Research] was really a helpful thing for me to test out; I love being curious about questions," she said. "'Why is this happening? Can we prove it?' So it was really the basis for my scientific mind, but I love people. And I think being in the lab really proved to me that I love teamwork, I love building teams, and I really wanted to get into clinical medicine."   Ultimately, Ragsdale chose to go into pediatric palliative care — a branch of medicine that focuses on pain relief, symptom management and quality of life for young patients with serious illnesses. After practicing at children's hospitals in Pennsylvania, Ragsdale was recruited back to UK HealthCare. At the time, a palliative care program for the children's hospital didn't exist, so developing this specialty for UK was a priority. "We really built this from the ground-up along the way," she said. "Our team is interdisciplinary - we have other physicians, a nurse practitioner, bereavement coordinator, pharmacist, nurse, and chaplain that all collaborate on patient care. And we have been able to establish an entire new field at the Children's Hospital. It's a different kind of medicine… We're kind of the creative thinkers, thinking outside the box about how we can help in multiple domains of life." While the average person might equate palliative care with end-of-life care, Ragsdale stressed that their role is not the same as hospice, and her team's goal is to help both patients and families deal with all aspects of a serious illness. "Palliative care can get involved at any point in the illness - even at diagnosis, really anywhere along the way where it's impacting their life," she said. "For us, we want to get involved and understand what makes a family feel whole and connected and grounded, and we can do that anytime along the illness. So don't be afraid if you hear palliative care coming in. Say, 'Yes, we want them!' They're the additional team that you would want on your side if you're really facing a lot of scary, serious things." The growth of UK Golisano Children's Opened in 1997, UK Golisano Children's (formerly Kentucky Children's Hospital) began as a single floor of the original UK Albert B. Chandler Hospital. Today, it's grown into a full hospital-within-a-hospital, with more than 200 pediatric physicians, more than 200 beds [AP1]  [LR2] and three specialized intensive care units. A significant part of this growth is recruiting more physicians with the ability to care for complex health problems in children.  "In the past we might've had one subspecialist in this one field; now we are adding multiple layers of subspecialties," Ragsdale said. "So when I say complexity, it's not that we just have pediatric surgery. We have surgeons that are interested in subspecialties of pediatric surgery. We have really been able to meet the needs of the children in Kentucky so they don't have to leave the state." Ragsdale was named chief medical officer for UK Golisano Children's in 2021 [AP3]  [LR4] . Even despite the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, the children's hospital has continued to grow. "In a time in the past five years where some of the regional hospitals have not been able to maintain their pediatric inpatient teams, we have been able to grow and expand," she said. "I give a lot of credit to the leaders of UK HealthCare to seeing the Children's Hospital and being able to allow us to grow and flourish like we have." A 'Woman of Impact' and Project ADAM This year, Ragsdale was nominated to participate in the American Heart Association's Woman of Impact campaign, with the goal of raising awareness of heart disease and funds to support research, care and advocacy through the AHA. Ragsdale's platform for this campaign is personal — her son, Caston, was born with a congenital heart defect and was treated in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at the very place she worked: UK Golisano Children's. "I worked the day that we had him; I did not expect it," she said. "We had a healthy pregnancy and had no signs that anything was going to happen. And he came out and really had trouble breathing right at birth and had pulmonary hypertension… And then we discovered he had a VSD [ventricular septal defect] — a hole in his heart. And all of this happening at once." Being on the other side of the physician-patient relationship gave her a new outlook on what the families of her own patients are going through, she said.  "I definitely feel empathy and a lot of love for families who go through things like this, because it can be traumatic," Ragsdale said. "I have just been really thankful to UK and to the NICU, to the cardiac team. They took amazing care of him. And now he's thriving, he's in school, he's doing great." Ragsdale's son is now nine years old, and the experience has given her an additional awareness of the importance of protecting children with heart issues. That includes the availability of automated external defibrillators, or AEDs. The AHA provides funding for Project ADAM, a national program that provides schools and other organizations with AEDs and specialized training for staff and students to act if someone experiences sudden cardiac arrest.  "Each organization that reaches out and says, 'We want to be Heart Safe,' it's at no cost to them," she said. "So that is really where the funding goes for Project ADAM. It's to pay for the infrastructure and the equipment needed to make sure that these organizations have what they need."  Project ADAM in Kentucky is overseen by a team from UK Golisano Children's, including Shaun Mohan, M.D., Tanya Edwards and Mindy Seeberger. When schools and organizations express interest in joining the program, this team oversees those efforts, including developing a response plan and running hands-only CPR and AED drills. "I think the important thing for families and organizations to think about is to have a plan, and that's really what Project Adam is here for," Ragsdale said. "Really, this is an extension of that cardiac care that we give with surgeries and treatments on the inpatient side. We want to make sure that the community sites are protected as well. I want my son to go to a school that it's heart safe, that has an AED, that has a plan. And I'm sure the same for you. If you have kids in your life or family members that are at risk, you want them to be at a place where if there's a crucial emergency, they have what they need." The AHA "Woman of Impact" campaign begins Friday, Feb. 6 at 9 a.m. ET and ends Thursday, April 9 at 9 p.m. ET. Visit Dr. Ragsdale's donor page on the AHA site to learn more about the campaign and donate.  'Behind the Blue' is available via a variety of podcast providers, including Apple Podcasts, YouTube and Spotify. Subscribe to receive new episodes each week, featuring UK's latest medical breakthroughs, research, artists, writers and the most important news impacting the university. 'Behind the Blue' is a production of the University of Kentucky. Transcripts for most episodes are now embedded in the audio file and can be accessed in many podcast apps during playback. Transcripts for older episodes remain available on the show's blog page.  To discover how the University of Kentucky is advancing our Commonwealth, click here. This interview has been edited for time and clarity.

In this conversation, I talk with Dr. Bob McCauley, a pediatric palliative care doctor and Episcopal priest. We explore the profound space where medicine meets the soul, discussing how he supports families through unthinkable journeys, the unexpected ways these children heal him, and what his work teaches us all about courage, presence, and living a meaningful life. 00:00 Introduction: A Meaningful Coincidence 02:40 What is Pediatric Palliative Care? 06:48 How Pediatric Care Differs from Adult Care 09:20 The Affordable Care Act's Compassionate Shift 11:47 A Day in the Life: The Palliative Care Process 19:46 The Emotional Impact & "Selfishness" of the Work 23:44 How Sick Kids Healed a Doctor's Soul 28:00 How This Work Transforms How You Live 33:47 The Story of Benjamin: A Case in Ethics & Faith 41:05 The Role of Faith and Doubt in Medicine 44:01 Spiritual Experiences at the End of Life 47:01 How to Find Help & Bob's Book Learn more about Bob:· Book: Because I Knew You - available at local bookstores and online retailers· Proceeds support pediatric palliative care at OHSU and Darkness to Light.· Website: becauseiknewyou.com· Resource for families: palliativedoctors.org JOIN MY COMMUNITY In The Space Between membership, you'll get access to LIVE quarterly Ask Amy Anything meetings (not offered anywhere else!), discounts on courses, special giveaways, and a place to connect with Amy and other like-minded people. You'll also get exclusive access to other behind-the-scenes goodness when you join! Click here to find out more --> https://shorturl.at/vVrwR Stay Connected: - Instagram - https://tinyurl.com/ysvafdwc- Facebook - https://tinyurl.com/yc3z48v9- YouTube - https://tinyurl.com/ywdsc9vt- Website - https://tinyurl.com/ydj949kt Life, Death & the Space Between Dr. Amy RobbinsExploring life, death, consciousness and what it all means. Put your preconceived notions aside as we explore life, death, consciousness and what it all means on Life, Death & the Space Between.**Brought to you by:Dr. Amy Robbins | Host, Executive ProducerPodcastize.net | Audio & Video Production | Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Palliative care physician and certified physician development coach Christie Mulholland discusses her article "5 things health care must stop doing to improve physician well-being." Christie challenges the pervasive narrative that younger physicians lack work ethic and argues that their boundary-setting is a rational response to an untenable system. The conversation explores why well-being initiatives fail when they are treated as volunteer hobbies without budget or authority. Christie explains the double standard where new technology is an investment but physician wellness is expected to prove immediate financial return. She also critiques the rigid employment models that punish part-time work and warns against implementing new tools without considering the downstream impact on doctor workload. Learn how true cultural change requires shifting the focus from individual resilience to institutional accountability. Partner with me on the KevinMD platform. With over three million monthly readers and half a million social media followers, I give you direct access to the doctors and patients who matter most. Whether you need a sponsored article, email campaign, video interview, or a spot right here on the podcast, I offer the trusted space your brand deserves to be heard. Let's work together to tell your story. PARTNER WITH KEVINMD → https://kevinmd.com/influencer SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

Sometimes you just have an especially bad day. If you are a caregiver who cares for a mom, dad, or spouse with a serious illness like cancer, Alzheimer's disease, other dementia illnesses, or ALS you may be familiar with caregiver stress and you've probably had multiple especially bad days.How do you handle them? What works to reduce your suffering?On this week's episode of The Integrative Palliative Podcast Dr. Delia discusses 6 approaches to reducing your suffering when you are facing an especially bad day.#caregiver #caregiving #badday #palliativeWww.DoctorDelia.com Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

Klinisch Relevant ist Dein Wissenspartner für das Gesundheitswesen. Drei mal pro Woche, nämlich dienstags, donnerstags und samstags, versorgen wir Dich mit unserem Podcast und liefern Dir Fachwissen für Deine klinische Praxis. Weitere Infos findest Du unter https://klinisch-relevant.de

Palliative care physician and certified physician development coach Christie Mulholland discusses her article, "Reclaiming physician agency in a broken system." She shares her personal story of leaving a prestigious academic position after realizing that "being a good doctor" was impossible within the constraints of corporate health care. Christie explains how for-profit entities now control seventy-eight percent of hospices, leading to worse patient care and deep moral injury for clinicians. The discussion explores the four paths physicians can take to reclaim agency: working within the system with boundaries, building alternatives like direct primary care, organizing through unions, or planning a strategic exit. Christie emphasizes that while the system is broken, physicians still have the power to make conscious choices about how they engage with it. Learn how to move from passive demoralization to active, values-driven leadership in your medical career. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, it's backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and it's part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR → https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST → https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD → https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended

When you visit your ill or aging parents over the holidays, you might be in for a surprise. Maybe your mom seems confused or your dad is having trouble with driving. Maybe you're not sure if the changes you're seeing are something to worry about or are just normal aging. What should you look for? What should you worry about? What changes are not actually concerning?In this episode of The Integrative Palliative Podcast, Dr. Delia Chiaramonte discusses what to look for when you visit your aging parents and when you should worry.Do you know someone with an aging parent? Send them this episode.Knowledge is power.Happy holidays!Dr. DeliaDelia Chiaramonte, MDhttps://www.doctordelia.comCoping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

Palliative physician Emma Jones knows the real effects of burnout, and now she's coaching others to rise from the ashes. While working in a high-pressure pediatric palliative care job, she found herself suffering the fallout of severe burnout. Emma was told to go home and figure out what was going on, but she realized there was no guide for how to do that. She began dealing with depression, trying to rebuild her self care. The care started with yoga, and grew to include healthy habits including daily movement, therapy, rest, and boundary setting. She calls them “small, radical changes”. Emma wanted to give other people a way out of their own burnout and validate their experiences. Her book The Phoenix Blueprint: Emerging Stronger From The Blaze of Healthcare, shares the skills and practices that have allowed her to emerge stronger from burnout and rediscover her calling to serve patients and colleagues. The Phoenix Blueprint provides a step-by-step guide to help those in healthcare rise like a phoenix from the ashes. Connect with Dr. Emma Jones: LinkedIn Facebook Instagram       Website: emmajonesmd.com Work with Dr. Jones to reclaim your career from burnout. Purchase your copy of The Phoenix Blueprint: Emerging Stronger From The Blaze of Healthcare here. You can find the Approaching Death Support Kit at bkbooks.com. Find all of Barbara Karnes' products and resources at bkbooks.com. Read Barbara's blog at bkbooks.com. Connect with Barbara Karnes on Facebook IG LinkedIn Twitter (X)  YouTube Hospice Navigation Services understands that you need unbiased, expert support to have the best end of life experience possible. And we believe you deserve to get good hospice care.  If you have questions about hospice care for yourself or someone you care about, Hospice Navigation Services can help. Whether you want to connect by phone or video, you can book a FREE 30-Minute Hospice Navigation Session, or a more in-depth 60-Minute Navigation Session for $95. If you need to troubleshoot the care you're already receiving, we're here to answer your questions. A 60-Minute Navigation Session by video call allows up to 3 family members to get the same expert information at the same time. Book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.   Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Social media: Facebook  Twitter  Instagram LinkedIn Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast Podcast host Helen Bauer is a great addition to your event or conference! For speaking inquiries, send an email to helen@theheartofhospice.com.

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the complexity of dementia care? Do you find yourself wishing you had more support navigating medical decisions and planning for the future? You're not alone - and there's specialized help available that many caregivers don't fully understand. We are Sue Ryan and Nancy Treaster. As caregivers for our loved ones with Alzheimer's and other types of dementia, we both wish we had understood what palliative care is and how to leverage it earlier in our journeys. Unfortunately, when palliative care was first explained to us, it was explained incorrectly, and neither of us took advantage of all the great things palliative care has to offer. We recently spoke with Dawn Kolderman, a registered nurse and Senior Clinical Director of Palliative Care Services at Avow, who has more than 30 years of nursing experience with the last 20 focused on palliative and hospice care. Dawn shared invaluable insights about palliative care that we wish we had known sooner. Connect with us and share your tips: Website: https://thecaregiversjourney.org/Donate: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourneyInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecaregiversjourney/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thecaregiversjourneys/Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/suearmstrongryan/, https://www.linkedin.com/in/nancytreaster/Email: sue@thecaregiversjourney.org, nancy@thecaregiversjourney.org Full Show Notes Additional Resources Mentioned Avow Palliative Care LinkSupport the nonprofit The Caregiver's Journey: https://give.cornerstone.cc/thecaregiversjourney Takeaways Tip 1: Understand What Palliative Care Actually Is The first step is clearing up common misconceptions about palliative care.  Palliative care is a holistic approach to a life-limiting disease. This includes dementia — which is indeed a life-limiting disease.  The key difference between palliative care and hospice care: Palliative care patients are at the beginning of their journey and are still seeking aggressive, curative treatment while seeing all their providers and specialistsHospice care patients are generally at the end of their journey, no longer seeking aggressive treatment, and focusing on comfort care. Palliative care is an additional supportive layer of care that works collaboratively with all your existing medical providers. Most importantly, palliative care focuses heavily on the caregiver. Tip 2: Call Palliative Care In — Here's How Many caregivers don't realize how accessible palliative care is or when to call it in. The answer is simple: the earlier, the better. Tip 3: Understand the Goals of Palliative Care Palliative care has specific, comprehensive goals that address both immediate and long-term needs. Primary goals include: Relieving physical symptoms first Supporting the caregiver and family Education and collaboration Advanced care planning (ACP). This crucial component involves sitting down with the patient, caregiver, and family to discuss important decisions while your loved one can still participate in these conversations. Tip 4: What Else You Need to Know About Palliative Care There are several important aspects of palliative care that many people don't realize. Your loved one won't look sick. The goal is to help them live their life fully. Early intervention builds stronger relationships. The nurse navigator's role is specifically to connect you with community resources you might not know about.  Read More in This Blog here

Some people have wonderful experiences with hospice, and other people say the experience was terrible. What's the difference?If your loved one is sick enough to need hospice, it's a highly stressful time for your whole family. Whether your loved one has cancer, dementia, ALS, COPD or another serious illness, making the decision for when to request hospice care is tough.Once you've made the decision to start hospice, how do you make sure that your loved one and your family get the very best hospice care? In this episode we discuss the 10 ways to be sure you get the very best hospice care.Caring for you as you care for them.Dr. Deliahttps://doctordelia.comBe sure to subscribe to The Integrative Palliative Podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-integrative-palliative-podcast/id1617730043Coping Courageously: A Heart-Centered Guide for Navigating a Loved One's Illness Without Losing Yourself is available here: www.copingcourageously.com Please review this podcast wherever you listen and forward your favorite episode to a friend! And be sure to subscribe!Sign up to stay connected and learn about upcoming programs:https://trainings.integrativepalliative.com/IPI-stay-in-touchI'm thrilled to be listed in Feedspot's top 15 palliative podcasts!https://blog.feedspot.com/palliative_care_podcasts/

In this episode, Lyell K. Jones Jr, MD, FAAN, speaks with Maisha T. Robinson, MD, MSHPM, FAAN, FAAHPM, who served as the guest editor of the December 2025 Neuropalliative Care issue. They provide a preview of the issue, which publishes on December 2, 2025. Dr. Jones is the editor-in-chief of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology® and is a professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Dr. Robinson is the Chair of the Division of Palliative Medicine and an assistant professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. Additional Resources Read the issue: continuum.aan.com Subscribe to Continuum®: shop.lww.com/Continuum Continuum® Aloud (verbatim audio-book style recordings of articles available only to Continuum® subscribers): continpub.com/Aloud More about the American Academy of Neurology: aan.com Social Media facebook.com/continuumcme @ContinuumAAN Host: @LyellJ Guest: @neuropalldoc Full episode transcript available here Dr Jones: Most of us who see patients with chronic progressive neurologic disease are aware of the value of palliative care. The focus on symptom management and quality of life is a key aspect of helping these patients. But how many of us are comfortable starting the conversation about palliative care or care at the end of life? Today we have the opportunity to speak with a leading expert on neuropalliative care, Dr Maisha Robinson, about how we can better integrate neuropalliative care into our practices. Dr Jones: This is Dr Lyell Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Continuum. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio. Be sure to visit the links in the episode notes for information about subscribing to the journal, listening to verbatim recordings of the articles, and exclusive access to interviews not featured on the podcast. Dr Jones: This is Dr Lyell Jones, Editor-in-Chief of Continuum: Lifelong Learning in Neurology. Today I'm interviewing Dr Maisha Robinson, who is Continuum's Guest Editor for our latest issue of Continuum on neuropalliative care, and our first-ever issue fully dedicated to this topic. Dr Robinson is an assistant professor of neurology at Mayo Clinic in Florida, where she is Chair of the Division of Palliative Medicine, and she also serves on the AAN Board of Directors as Chair of the Member Engagement Committee. Dr Robinson, welcome. Thank you for joining us today. Why don't you introduce yourself to our listeners? Dr Robinson: Well, Dr Jones, thank you for having me. Really a pleasure to be here. I'm Maisha Robinson at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida. I spent my time as a neurohospitalist, a general palliative care physician, and a neuropalliative care physician. Dr Jones: So, this is a topic that at Continuum, we have heard about from subscribers for a long time requesting a fully dedicated issue to palliative care. And we've titled this neuropalliative Care. So, we want to respond to our subscribers and bring them content that they're interested in. I also think that palliative medicine is a big education gap in our specialty of neurology and something that we have room to improve on. So, let's start with the basics, Dr Robinson. Palliative medicine has been around for a long time, but this concept of "neuropalliative care" feels relatively new. What is neuropalliative care? Dr Robinson: That's a great question. Generally, what I would say is palliative care, first of all, is really just a specialty that focuses on trying to improve quality of life for people that have a serious or advanced medical condition. And neuropalliative care is really palliative care for people with neurologic conditions. And you'll see a number of neurologists doing neuropalliative care, but also there are internists as well, and people from other specialties, who focus on patients with neurologic disease and really trying to improve their quality of life. Dr Jones: Got it. And so, it's really the principles of palliative medicine in a specialty-specific context, which I think is important for us given the prevalence of chronic disease in our specialty. And I was obviously reading through these articles in this issue, and in the really wonderful articles, there are some themes that came up multiple times in various different articles. And one of them was obviously the importance of communication with patients and families. I think, and I'm speaking a little bit from personal experience here, many physicians feel uncomfortable bringing up the discussion of palliative care. And I'm sure that is something that reflects on your practice, too. How often do you have a patient who shows up to clinic and they ask you, why am I here? Dr Robinson: It happens all the time, because colleagues who are referring patients are nervous to tell them that they're sending them to palliative care. But we try to tell people it's really just to normalize it, to say that the palliative care team is going to see you, they're going to help with some symptoms, they're going to help you think about big picture, and they're going to be sort of an added layer of support to your team. And I think if people approach it from that standpoint, then patients and family members will say, that sounds great, I need a little extra support. Dr Jones: So, I think most neurologists have a threshold at which they would feel more comfortable having specialty support, having a palliative medicine specialist to help them in symptom management with the patient. For the palliative care that they provide themselves---and we want our subscribers to read this issue and feel more comfortable with delivering some palliative care on their own---how would you encourage them to begin that conversation? How should they initiate that conversation with a patient about working more toward palliative management of symptoms? Dr Robinson: So, one of the things we recommend is really introducing an approach to palliative care very early in the disease process. So, discussions about big picture and goals of care, discussions about who might help make medical decisions if the person can't make them for themselves. Those kinds of things can be discussed very early on. And in fact, that's palliative care. And then they can talk to patients more about the fact that as the disease progresses, there may be an additional team that can help walk along alongside the neurologist in helping you prepare for what's to come. You know, I think it's very important for patients and family members who feel like you're not abandoning them, but you're adding additional resources. And so, I like the way that we often will suggest to people to say partner or collaborate or bring in extra resources with the palliative care team. I think patients and family members will respond to that. Dr Jones: Yeah. So, by talking about it early, you kind of, at least, help to avoid that problem of the patient perceiving the introduction of palliative care as the quote-unquote "giving-up problem." Is that right? Dr Robinson: Correct. Because we also don't want to see people who are just being referred to us for end-of-life care. Palliative care is about much more than that. But if patients will Google palliative care, they may see hospice come up. And so, introducing the concept early and discussing some palliative topics early will allow the patient and family members to think that, okay, this isn't because I'm at the end of life. This is just because my clinician wants to make sure that I have all the bases covered. Dr Jones: This was also mentioned in several of the articles, the studies that have shown how frequently palliative care is initiated very near the end of life, which is usually, I think, perceived as a missed opportunity, right? To not wait so long to take advantage of what palliative care has to offer. Dr Robinson: That's correct. And the benefit of palliative care is that oftentimes we work alongside an interdisciplinary team, a team that could be quite helpful to patients and their support systems throughout the course of the disease. So, we have chaplains, we have nurses, we often have other clinicians, advanced practice providers as well, who work with us. We have spiritual advisors as well. And the patients and family members could benefit from some of those resources throughout the course of the disease. Who they might need to meet with may vary depending on what the disease is and how they're doing. But there's definitely some benefit to having a longitudinal relationship with the palliative care team and not just seeking them out at the end of life. Dr Jones: So- that's very helpful. So, it'll obviously vary according to an individual provider's level of comfort, right, where they're comfortable providing certain palliative management care versus when they need to have some assistance from a specialist. Are there types of care or are there certain thresholds that you say, wow, this patient really should go see a specialist in palliative medicine or neuropalliative care? Dr Robinson: So, I think that if there are, for instance, refractory symptoms, where the neurologist has been working with a patient for a while trying to manage certain symptoms and they're having some challenges, that person may benefit from being referred to palliative care. If patients are being hospitalized multiple times and frequently, that may suggest that a good serious-illness conversation may be necessary. If there are concerns about long-term artificial nutrition, hydration, or functional and cognitive decline, then some of those patients have benefited from palliative care. Not only the patient, but also the caregiver, because our team really focuses on trying to make sure that we're walking through the course of disease with these patients to ensure that all of the needs are managed both for the patient and the family member. Dr Jones: Got it. And that's very helpful. And I know that we talk about a lot of these decisions happening in an ideal environment when there's good access to the neurologist and good access to a palliative medicine specialist or even a neuropalliative medicine expert. In your general sense, I- and maybe we'll talk a little bit here in a minute or two about the growing interest in neuropalliative care. But in terms of access, in terms of availability of really, truly neuropalliative expertise, what is your sense of how widely available that is in the US? Dr Robinson: There's a shortfall of palliative care clinicians in the United States. Everybody who needs a palliative care clinician won't have access to one. And I think your point about the primary palliative care is so important. That's really what we encourage all clinicians, neurologists, neurosurgeons, even, physiatrists, the neurology care team members need to be comfortable with at least initiating some of these conversations. Because, to your point, not everyone's going to have access to a palliative care physician. But by reading issues such as this one, attending some courses---for instance at the American Academy of Neurology meetings---, doing some online trainings, those types of things can be helpful to bring any neurology clinician up to speed who certainly may not have access to a palliative care physician. Dr Jones: So, I know---and this is in part from my own conversations with patients in my own practice---there are a number of fears that patients have when they have a chronic disease, something that's progressive or something that we don't have a curative treatment for. But I think one of, if not the most common fear among patients is pain, and pain that can't be managed adequately during the course of chronic illness or at the end of life. One of the interesting concepts that I saw mentioned in a few of the articles in this issue is this concept of total pain. So, not just the somatic pain that I think we tend to think of as clinicians and patients tend to think of as patients, but a more holistic definition of pain. Walk us through that and how that relates to palliative medicine. Dr Robinson: So, Dame Cicely Saunders, the modern-day founder of palliative medicine, really described this biopsychosocial model for pain. And so, you're right, it's not just physical pain, but it's psychological pain, it's spiritual pain. And oftentimes when we are taking care of patients with neurologic disease, they may have some physical pain, but a lot of them are thinking about, for instance, the things that they will miss, which may cause some internal discomfort. Things that they're grieving, the life they thought they were going to have, the person that they used to be, the life they used to have, and what they anticipated their life as being. And some of that can cause people to have not only the spiritual discomfort, but also some psychological discomfort as well. And so, when we're thinking about how to provide rehensive care to these patients, we have to be thinking about all of these aspects. Dr Jones: It's really helpful. And I guess the more you can identify those, the more you can either help yourself or find the right expert to help the patient. I thought that was an interesting expansion of, of my view of how to think about pain. And another observation that came up in several of the articles was a lack of high-quality clinical trial evidence to inform a lot of the interventions in neuropalliative care. Some of them are common-sense, some of them are based on clinical experience or expert advice. In your own practice, if there was one key knowledge gap to close---in other words, if there was one pivotal trial that we could do to answer one question in helping patients with chronic neurologic disease---what would you say is the main gap? Dr Robinson: I think the real gap is, who needs palliative care and when? That seems very simple. We have tried things such as automatic triggers for palliative care, for instance, in patients with ALS, or we've said that maybe all glioblastoma patients should see palliative care. But is that true? Are we utilizing the resources in the best possible way that we can? We're not sure. And so, you'll see these practices doing things all a little bit different because we don't have a best practice and it's not really standardized about when people should see palliative care, or why, for instance, they should see palliative care, or who should see palliative care. And I think if we could help drill that down, we can provide some better guidance to our colleagues about when and why and who should see palliative care. Dr Jones: It's a really kind of a fundamental, foundational, who needs the service to begin with or who needs to care. Okay, that's- that is a big gap. So, one of the interesting concepts that I read- and it was in Benzi Kluger's article on neuropalliative care for patients who have movement disorders. I think it's a concept that is interesting, really, maybe in the management of patients with a lot of different chronic, progressive neurologic diseases. And it's this idea of stealing victories or bringing joy to patients. In other words, not just managing or trying to minimize some of the negative aspects or symptoms of disease, but looking for opportunities to bring something positive to their experience or improving their quality of life. Tell us a little more about that, because I think that's something patients would appreciate, but I think neurologists would appreciate that, too. Dr Robinson: Dr Kluger loves to talk about sustaining and finding joy in patients who have really serious or advanced neurologic conditions. He likes to talk about stealing victories, which can relate to the fact that patients and their loved ones can find even some benefit despite having a serious or advanced neurologic condition. Neurologists and neurology clinicians also can steal victories in their patients when they notice, for instance, that they've gained a new skill, and they've lost a skill that they used to love because of the advancing disease. And this is just an opportunity for not only the patients and family members, but also the care providers to recognize that in the midst of decline, there are positive things to be found. Dr Jones: I think it gives patients a sense of maybe reclaimed autonomy when they can say, well, there's maybe nothing I can do to cure this disease in the conventional sense, but I can maybe go on this trip with my family, which has been something I've always wanted to do. Or, I can do these things, so I can attend certain events that I want to. And I think that autonomy and independence aspect of that, I think that I think that was really meaningful and something that I'm going to bring back to my own practice in my care of patients who have ALS, for example. When you think about neuropalliative care---and you've been a leader in this area, Dr Robinson---what do you think the biggest change in neuropalliative care has been over the last few years? Dr Robinson: I think there's a growing cohort of people who are recognizing that there is some benefit in having dedicated specialists who focus on palliative care for patients with neurologic disease. When I said I was going to do neuropalliative care, somebody asked me, why would a neurologist be interested in palliative care? Over the last decade and a half, we've seen that shift. And not only are our colleagues recognizing the benefit, but also patients and caregivers are. Some are even asking for palliative care. I think people are recognizing that not only having their primary neurologist or neurology clinician taking care of them, they have this extra layer of support, and this extra team really focused on quality-of-life issues can be beneficial. Dr Jones: So, one of the things that I think you and I have both seen, Dr Robinson, is a growing interest among neurology trainees in palliative medicine. And maybe that's anecdotal, but in my own practice, I've seen more and more trainees express an interest in this. For neurology residents who are interested in this as a component of or maybe a focus of their career, what would you recommend to them? How should they go about this? Dr Robinson: Yes, it used to be that every neurology resident interested in palliative care would call me or email me or send me a message, but now there are so many that I can't keep up. We're excited about the growing number of people interested in neuropalliative care. What I would say to those people is that you can really try to hone your skills by, for instance, doing a rotation with the palliative care team at your hospital, if there is one. If there isn't one, you might even ask to spend some time with the local hospice agency, which may be helpful to you. If you're attending some of the national meetings---for instance, the American Academy of Neurology meeting---you may want to go to a course and learn a little bit about palliative care. There are a couple that are offered every year. There is an education opportunity for education in palliative and end-of-life care as well. And so, there are a number of resources that you can find in addition to this issue of Continuum as well. Dr Jones: I find it gratifying that trainees ask about this. And I'm sorry, I think I've probably sent a bunch of trainees your way for advice about this, and you've been incredibly generous with your time and expertise. So, I find it very gratifying that our neurology trainees are interested in this area, because it's an important area of medicine. It's also probably a challenging practice just from the cognitive load and the emotional load of caring for patients who are moving through a progressive illness. What is your thinking about how to have a sustainable career in palliative medicine? What is your approach to that? Is it for everyone? Dr Robinson: Yeah, the issue with palliative care is that we do see some very challenging situations, and frankly some very sad situations. But I actually love what I do because I think that we're helping patients and their family members during very, very difficult times. I feel like this is why I went to medical school, to try to be there for people when they need me the most. The way that I think about it is, the patients and family members will be going through this anyway. We're trying to help improve their quality of life as they're going through it. And what you might find interesting is that these patients are so grateful. And their loved ones, they're so grateful. Even if they're nearing the end of life, just to have someone who's helping them see that, for instance, the pain could be better, or that they have more resources for the loved ones to be able to take care of them. And so, I think that helps sustain us, realizing that we are really having a positive benefit on the patients and also their family members. Dr Jones: Well, I think that's a great point to end on. And these are patients who need help. Even if we don't have a curative therapy, they do need support. And that's an important service and a function and an important facet of our profession. So, Dr Robinson, I want to thank you for joining us, and I want to thank you for such a great discussion of neuropalliative care. I learned a lot from our conversation today. I've learned a lot reading the articles and the experts that you put together. This is an important topic. I'm really grateful to you to having assembled this team of expert authors and put together an issue that I think will be really important for not only our junior readers, but also our more experienced subscribers as well. Dr Robinson: Thank you, Dr Jones, for the opportunity. Dr Jones: Again, we've been speaking with Dr Maisha Robinson, Guest Editor of Continuum's most recent issue and first issue fully dedicated to neuropalliative care. Please check it out, and thank you to our listeners for joining today. Dr Monteith: This is Dr Teshamae Monteith, Associate Editor of Continuum Audio. If you've enjoyed this episode, you'll love the journal, which is full of in-depth and clinically relevant information important for neurology practitioners. Use the link in the episode notes to learn more and subscribe. Thank you for listening to Continuum Audio.

Learn about a training course for professionals entering the palliative care field to prepare them for the emotional and spiritual demands of this work. My guest Meina Dubetz is a registered nurse specializing in Palliative and Oncology Care and also a Certified Grief Educator and Reiki Master. She is the author of the book When… Continue reading Ep. 530 Six Pillars of Care for Palliative Care Providers with Meina Dubetz RN

Palliative care nurse turned fragrance founder and CEO Octavia Morgan joins us to share how scent became both a healing practice and a business, ultimately leading to Ulta Beauty's first Black- and woman-owned prestige fragrance house. Octavia breaks down practical layering, budget-friendly ways to customize your signature scent, and how she created her first fragrance, Legendary, for her hospice patients. We also get personal about the leap from nursing to entrepreneurship, fear vs. obedience, and the one non-negotiable that keeps her centered: a daily hour of self-devotion. Stay for her holiday recs and a rapid-fire on unexpected notes (hello, oud), “soft life” accords, and the power of pouring into yourself first, so you can better show up for everyone else around you.In this episode we discuss:Layering 101: build from the heaviest scent, then medium, then lightClean, sensual scents that don't read “essential oil”Founder wellness: the one-hour daily ritual & how to move stagnant energyTaking the leap: getting contracts, “burning the boats,” and betting on your callingHoliday picks: Dark Rose, Vanilla Supreme, and 4- and 8-piece discovery setsConnect with Octavia:https://octaviamorgan.com/https://www.ulta.com/ Connect with Be Well, Sis:Instagram – @bewellsis_podcastSubstack – bewellsis.substack.comFollow, rate, and share this episode!We're supporting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Head over to www.stjude.org/bewellsis right now and sign up to be a monthly donor. Together, we can make a real impact.Want to get in touch? Maybe you want to hear from a certain guest or have a recommendation for On My Radar? Get in touch at hello@editaud.io with Be Well Sis in the subject line! Have you're on Not Well, Sis rant to contribute? Click here to send it into the show!Be Well, Sis is hosted by Dr Cassandre Dunbar. This episode was edited by Victoria Marin. Our Production Manager is Kathleen Speckert. Be Well, Sis is an editaudio collaboration. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

KEY POINTSYour Health is launching a new hospice program to complete the continuum of care.Hospice is not new to leadership—team members have decades of experience.Palliative care and hospice work together:Palliative can continue indefinitelyHospice begins when disease progression reaches an advanced stage and patients choose comfort over curative treatmentHospice helps patients avoid unnecessary ER visits, hospital stays, and stressful care transitions.The new program allows patients to stay with their same care team, maintaining continuity and trust.Eligibility begins with specific diagnoses and a provider's order, supported by clinical and non-clinical indicators like frequent falls, increased symptoms, or significant weight loss.The “six-month rule” is based on normal disease progression, not an exact timeline.The new hospice service enhances value-based care, controlling costs while improving outcomes.Your Health staff play an important role in asking, “**What matters to you?**”The program ultimately expands patient choice and honors their wishes with compassion and dignity. www.YourHealth.Org

In this episode, host Catherine Moore, LCSW, breaks down what it means to be a Palliative Care Social Worker — a role focused on enhancing quality of life for patients with serious or life-limiting illnesses.You'll learn how palliative social workers support the emotional, social, and spiritual needs of patients and families through psychosocial assessments, family meetings, and advance care planning — all while collaborating with nurses, physicians, and chaplains as part of an interdisciplinary team.Catherine explains salaries, how to get started, the difference between hospice and palliative care (hint: palliative care isn't just for end-of-life) and explores the key skills you'll need, including:- Communication & compassion in difficult conversations- Grief counseling, trauma-informed care, and crisis intervention- Navigating family conflict with cultural humility- Self-awareness, emotional boundaries, and self-care to prevent compassion fatigueWhether you're a new MSW graduate exploring career paths or simply curious about medical social work, this episode offers a clear, compassionate look into palliative care and the heart of this meaningful field.____________________________________⁠Tap Here to Subscribe⁠ to the Social Workers, Rise! Email Resource List⁠Tap Here⁠ to shop career courses for Social Workers.____________________________________Thank you to our SPONSORSHPSO Professional liability insurance designed for healthcare providersRISE Directory for Clinical Supervision

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Join A Cure in Sight, an ocular melanoma foundation, for an insightful conversation with Suzanne O'Brien, RN, on the important distinctions between palliative care and hospice care. In this episode, Suzanne sheds light on the significant gaps in end-of-life education that leave many families overwhelmed and unsupported during some of the most challenging moments of their lives. As the Founder & CEO of Doulagivers Institute, Suzanne B. O'Brien has dedicated her life to increasing access to high-quality end-of-life education and compassionate care. Drawing from her firsthand experience at the bedside of more than 1,000 patients as a hospice nurse and palliative care professional, she has created free trainings and resources to empower both caregivers and practitioners worldwide. https://doulagivers.com/

Palliative care physician Dr. BJ Miller survived a near-death experience and lost three limbs at just 19 years old. In this intimate conversation, he tells Sarah how confronting mortality reshaped his purpose, and opened his heart to awe, humor, creativity, and love. BJ has been on a mission to redefine end-of-life care through his work at Mettle Health and his book, "A Beginner's Guide to the End." He invites you to challenge the fear and silence around death, and imagine a better way to live — and die.

Dopo anni di lavoro come infermiera in Italia, Alessia Aielli si è trasferita in Australia, ed è ora Project Officer di Palliative Care Australia. L'abbiamo incontrata alla National Multicultural Health and Wellbeing Conference 2025 di Melbourne.

Palliative care isn't “giving up”—it's teaming up. Nurse practitioner Minerva Sabine explains how comfort, clarity, and support can begin from day one of a serious diagnosis—not just at the end. In this conversation, she demystifies palliative care, outlines who can benefit, and shares how early involvement can ease stress for both patients and families.You'll learn how palliative teams coordinate with doctors, manage symptoms, and guide meaningful conversations about goals and values. Minerva also shares powerful real-world stories that highlight the difference this approach makes in quality of life and peace of mind.Timestamps0:00 - Intro3:25 - What palliative care really is—and how it differs from hospice7:10 - When to involve palliative care and what families can expect10:45 - The interdisciplinary team: medicine, emotion, and spirit14:20 - Common misconceptions and real patient stories18:30 - How palliative care supports families and improves quality of lifeWhat's NextIf palliative care might help you or a loved one, start by asking your doctor for a referral. Visit The Conversation Project to explore free guides that help families talk about wishes and values before a crisis.Stay connected with Seniority Authority on Facebook and Instagram for more practical, positive conversations about growing older with purpose.

Since 2010, the Association of Cancer Care Centers (ACCC) has produced an annual Trending Now in Cancer Care report, highlighting the biggest challenges, solutions, and opportunities in oncology. In this episode, CANCER BUZZ speaks with Lindsey Causey, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, AOCNP, nurse practitioner at Cone Health Cancer Center, about part 2 of the 2025 trend report. She shares takeaways from the in-person discussions at the ACCC Annual Meeting & Cancer Center Business Summit (AMCCBS) that informed this report, as well as how she uses the information from ACCC's trend reports at her own cancer center. Part 2 of the 2025 Trending Now in Cancer Care report focuses on payer-driven challenges and solutions, comprehensive cancer care services, research and clinical trials, and mobile screening to engage communities in cancer prevention and education. The full article can be found in Oncology Issues, the official journal of ACCC. Lindsey Causey, DNP, APRN, ANP-BC, AOCNP Nurse Practitioner Cone Health Cancer Center Greensboro, NC “Many patients come into my clinic and they say, I just feel like a piece of me goes to one office, a piece of me goes to another office. I don't want to be seen as pieces of a whole person. I want to be seen as the whole person and know what to do and feel like I have all my answers in one place. “ “[The trend report] really allows you to reflect on what the current state is first and then understand what might need to happen to be able to bring some of these things to fruition.” “Early palliative care is essential, not just because it helps with patients and improving their symptoms and wellbeing, it also increases their survival, but it can also help reduce provider burnout by partnering with palliative care.” Resources: 2025 Trending Now in Cancer Care: Part 1 2025 Trending Now in Cancer Care: Part 2 Archived Reports CANCERBUZZ episode: 2025 Trending Now in Cancer Care: Part 1  

All Home Care Matters and our host, Lance A. Slatton were honored to welcome Jonathan Cottor as guest to the show.   About Jonathan Cottor, MBA, MPH. :   Jonathan Cottor is a devoted father whose journey with his son Ryan, diagnosed with Spinal Muscular Atrophy at 9 months old, profoundly shaped his life. Ryan defied expectations, living an extraordinary 17 years until his death in December 2018. Inspired by their experience, Jonathan and his wife co-founded Ryan House, a pioneering children's respite, palliative, and hospice care home in Phoenix, Arizona.   After a 30-year career in corporate marketing and leadership, Ryan's death became the catalyst for Jonathan to align his work with his passion. He earned a Master of Public Health (MPH) from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, specializing in policy and advocacy, along with a certificate in Maternal and Child Health.   Jonathan is now a recognized national thought leader in pediatric palliative care.   He has been instrumental in building a coalition of community-based pediatric palliative care home models, culminating in the creation of the National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes and its flagship initiative, Children's Respite Homes of America.   About National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes (NCPPCH):   The National Center for Pediatric Palliative Care Homes (NCPPCH) is a national nonprofit advancing an innovative solution: local, community-based homes that provide overnight respite, palliative, and hospice care tailored to the needs of medically fragile children and young adults, particularly those with life-limiting conditions.      

View the Show Notes Page for This Episode Become a Member to Receive Exclusive Content Sign Up to Receive Peter's Weekly Newsletter BJ Miller, a hospice and palliative care physician, and Bridget Sumser, a licensed social worker specializing in serious illness and end-of-life care, join Peter to share insights from their decades of work supporting people at the end of life. In this episode, they explore the emotional and physiological processes of dying, the cultural barriers that prevent meaningful conversations about death, and how early engagement with mortality can lead to greater clarity and connection. The conversation highlights the distinctions between hospice and palliative care, the nature of suffering beyond physical pain, and the transformative role of honesty, forgiveness, and relational awareness in the dying process. Through stories and reflections, BJ and Bridget reveal what truly matters in the end—and how the dying can teach the living not only how to face death but how to live more fully. We discuss: The personal journeys of BJ and Bridget into end-of-life care, and the connection between living and dying [3:30]; What dying looks like: the physical, cognitive, and emotional realities at the end of life [13:15]; How historical perspectives on death contrast with modern experiences of dying [25:30]; The difference between palliative care and hospice care [30:45]; The systemic challenges surrounding hospice care: why patients often enter it too late to receive its full benefits [35:30]; How delayed hospice referrals and unspoken preferences often prevent patients from dying where and how they truly want [39:30]; The realities of home hospice: challenges, costs, and burdens placed of families [43:45]; How proactively engaging with the reality of death can avoid unnecessary suffering and promote a more peaceful ending [53:30]; How palliative care is misunderstood and underutilized—especially in cancer care [1:02:45]; Palliative care in the case of Alzheimer's disease: emotional support, future planning, and family involvement [1:12:15]; The importance of having an advance directive: defining what matters most before it's too late [1:23:00]; The differences between how young and old individuals experience dying from cancer [1:30:15]; The difference between pain and suffering, role of medicine in pain relief, and why emotional healing is essential at the end of life [1:35:45]; Dying well: the power of self-honesty and human connection at the end of life [1:47:00]; How psychedelics like psilocybin can unlock emotional breakthroughs and deepen connection for patients near the end of life [1:55:15]; Lessons from the dying on how to live well [1:57:30]; The physical process of active dying, and the emotional and practical considerations for loved ones [2:09:30]; and More. Connect With Peter on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube