death | Healing Conversations Now https://healingconversationsnow.com Healing Conversations Now Fri, 07 Jun 2024 19:43:24 +0000 en-US hourly 1 Changing the Conversation around Death and Dying https://healingconversationsnow.com/407/changing-the-conversation-around-death-and-dying https://healingconversationsnow.com/407/changing-the-conversation-around-death-and-dying#comments Wed, 02 Mar 2016 19:52:49 +0000 http://c72f9b3928.nxcli.io/?p=407 In 2011 I published Healing Conversations Now: Enhance Relationships with Elders and Dying Loved Ones as a way to help people have meaningful and powerful conversations toward end of life. Whether to enhance/mend relationships, make sense of a serious diagnosis, to find peace and acceptance, or love them goodbye. These ‪end of life #EOL conversations […]

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]]> In 2011 I published Healing Conversations Now: Enhance Relationships with Elders and Dying Loved Ones as a way to help people have meaningful and powerful conversations toward end of life.

Whether to enhance/mend relationships, make sense of a serious diagnosis, to find peace and acceptance, or love them goodbye. These ‪end of life #EOL conversations are so important — we all deserve a “good death” as much as a good life!

Check out this amazing video by ZDoggMD a remix of the Eminem and Rhianna song “Love the way you lie”. His is titled: “Ain’t the way to die”.

He highlights the medicalization of end of life and the choices we make along the way to sustain life. Quote at end of video: “It always seems too soon, until it’s too late. Talk about your end of life wishes with those you love”.

As I continue my journey learning, teaching, and working toward enhancing care through conversations at end of life, the two statistics below matter AND we need to do better on them!

1. 72% of patients have thought about their wishes for medical treatment at the end of life — only 35% documented their wishes (Source: Pew Research study (2013)
2. While more than 80 percent of patients with chronic diseases say they want to avoid hospitalization and intensive care when they are dying, nearly 70% of Americans die in a hospital, nursing home, or long-term care facility

No matter who you are, where you work or live, we each have the opportunity to have these important conversations with our loved ones. Stay in touch with me @HealingNow and Healing Conversations Now (Facebook)

Ideas, people, and projects I’m inspired by:

Dr. Atul Gawande: Being Mortal

Dr. Bill Thomas

Death Over Dinner

Dying Matters: Awareness Week #YODO

The Conversation Project

My Gift of Grace

Death Cafe

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]]> https://healingconversationsnow.com/407/changing-the-conversation-around-death-and-dying/feed 28460 Re-Membering Mom and Dad https://healingconversationsnow.com/356/re-membering-mom-and-dad https://healingconversationsnow.com/356/re-membering-mom-and-dad#comments Mon, 22 Sep 2014 12:58:40 +0000 http://c72f9b3928.nxcli.io/?p=356 As I was sitting on the deck recently, my thoughts drifted to my father (it was his birthday) who passed away almost two years ago.  Just then a song came on from my shuffle mix – it was a song my wife Jen commissioned, shortly before my mom passed away in 2006.   Jen worked with an […]

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]]> As I was sitting on the deck recently, my thoughts drifted to my father (it was his birthday) who passed away almost two years ago.  Just then a song came on from my shuffle mix – it was a song my wife Jen commissioned, shortly before my mom passed away in 2006.   Jen worked with an amazing songwriter, Anna Huckabee Tull (Custom Crafted Songs),  to create two songs about my mom.

Music can trigger memories…keeping special people close to us, even when they are no longer present.  The word remember, loosely translated, means to make a member again (re-member).  So today I re-member my mom and dad and share my wife’s note and the two songs that she had created for me…I hope they bring you joy, and perhaps help you to make your own memories of special people in your life.

Jen: ” In the fall of 2005 a listserve conversation was initiated by my husband, Tony Silbert, around the topic of healing conversations, particularly those having to do with family healing around death and dying.  On March 6, 2006, Tony’s mother, Lynne LaMarche, passed away peacefully after a five-year battle with lung cancer.  Before her passing, however, I had the opportunity to build on our family’s healing conversations in a manner that translated stories into song.  I collaborated with a new friend of mine (whose husband Tony and I had met in Guyana, believe it or not), Anna Huckabee Tull.  Anna is a commissioned singer-songwriter (and accomplished psychologist) who has a natural gift for cutting straight to the meaningful center of feelings, emotions, and stories.  My “secret” partnership with her (without Tony’s knowing) resulted in the composition of two very special songs — music that Tony and I found profoundly healing during our time of grief.  These lyrics continue to breath life to our very precious memories of Lynne.

I dedicated these songs to my loving husband, Tony, in honor of his unconditional loyalty to family, and his capacity to see the radiant light that shines in every person, his mom in particular.  I also dedicate these songs to Lynne for her enduring positive attitude, loving smile, and friendly Kentucky “Hi Hon!” greeting she shared with everyone she met. From our healing hearts to yours, may you find peace in the magic of song.”

Here are the songs:

http://www.customcraftedsongs.com/listen/last-goodbye

http://www.customcraftedsongs.com/listen/something-to-see

Here is a link to Anna Huckabee Tull’s website:  http://www.customcraftedsongs.com

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]]> https://healingconversationsnow.com/356/re-membering-mom-and-dad/feed 133 The time for Healing Conversations is NOW! https://healingconversationsnow.com/310/the-time-for-healing-conversations-is-now https://healingconversationsnow.com/310/the-time-for-healing-conversations-is-now#comments Thu, 28 Mar 2013 18:14:46 +0000 http://c72f9b3928.nxcli.io/?p=310 I was recently asked to speak at the Ignite Southern RI event, their tagline “Enlighten Us, but make it quick.”  I had 5 minutes to share a powerful story.  I was inspired to share my story behind the book, the power of healing conversations in my own life, and to urge others to have them […]

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]]> I was recently asked to speak at the Ignite Southern RI event, their tagline “Enlighten Us, but make it quick.”  I had 5 minutes to share a powerful story.  I was inspired to share my story behind the book, the power of healing conversations in my own life, and to urge others to have them with their loved ones before it is too late.  You don’t have to live with the guilt and regret that often comes with the death of a loved one.  If you want a better relationship, closure, or comfort – just start!  Remember it’s not what you say that’s important, it’s what you ASK.

Enjoy the video AND go call your parents!

 

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