Product Description Ranked 4th in Bookauthority’s 40 Best Hospice Care Books of All Time! Named a 2023 Doody’s Core Title®! There are many misunderstandings and apprehensions surrounding hospice, but this series of 21 essays from 9 disciplines of hospice care demonstrate that the end of life can be filled with profound comfort and hope. From the experiences of those who work in this field, you will discover what hospice truly is and the many ways in which the care team supports those who are approaching the end of life. The efficacy of hospice care lies in the careful coordination and individual contributions of the interdisciplinary team members. Their deeply personal, compelling, and honest accounts express a unifying theme of working together to lessen pain and suffering—physical, spiritual, emotional, familial—at a very vulnerable time for patients and their loved ones. The essays also dispel common misconceptions about hospice, including the idea that it supports the hastening of death. If you or someone close to you is currently in hospice or soon will be, this book provides an enlightening and comforting read. Professionals in hospice care will find valuable affirmation of their work, and anyone interested in pursuing a hospice career will gain insightful perspectives. All readers will discover how the grief, helplessness, and fear that invariably accompany dying and death are lightened by the boundless compassion and caring of these committed team members. WHO WE ARE Written from different gender, racial, and cultural backgrounds, these inspiring essays reflect the breadth of expertise in the hospice team, which includes Physicians Certified Nurse Assistants Chaplains Bereavement Counselors Nurses Social Workers Music Therapists Volunteers Integrative Therapist/Volunteer Coordinator HOW WE CARE Through personal and compelling stories, the team members describe how they: explain conditions and what to expect to patients and families are present to walk family members through the end of life use faith and/or individual spirituality to honor each person forge unforgettable relationships with patients and families chose this career and why many never want to leave the profession
