Family Hospice Care
Family Hospice Care
Pre-Planning and Care Guide
In the twenty years since this book was first published, hundreds of thousands of patients, family members, professional and volunteer care providers have learned the basic fundamentals of providing physical, emotional, spiritual and information supports.
People need to relatively pain free and alert for as long as they can. The hospice philosophy of care is about living life to its fullest before you die. That is not what typically happens for people near the end of their lives. Their physical pain is often not controlled well. That is inexcusable. No one need suffer unbearable pain. No one.
Many people hope that their last weeks and months will be filled with compassionate medical support, well-informed and caring family and friends, and information on how to live life fully. That is what excellent hospice care is all about. That is what Family Hospice Care is all about.
Harry van Bommel helped his mother, father and grandfather to live at home until they died. He has helped countless others through his writing, speaking, teaching and one-to-one support turn an end-of-life experience into something to be treasured rather than feared. His detailed suggestions help people take some control of the roller coaster ride of emotions, feelings and experiences.
The journey at the end-of-life will have moments of frustration, anger, tears, despair and overwhelming fear. That is too often the only experiences people have. Family Hospice Care is a tool that helps you minimize these negative experiences while providing specific ideas so that you can also experience profound moments of love, laughter, joy, retelling of stories, bonding with family and friends and care providers. Like birth, death can be an incredible opportunity to review your own life and its direction and find out the wisdom of all ages: it is our relationships with others that matter most at these times. Living fully until you die provides an opportunity to nurture those relationships to an even greater degree.
When family and friends cannot care for someone, other people including hospice volunteers and neighbors can be immensely helpful. People need never die alone and uncared for. Hospice care is all about making sure that everyone involved in someone's last days, weeks and months participates in a profound experience that truly becomes a memorable, life-defining one.
20th Anniversay Edition, 320 pages, 5-1/2 x 8-1/2 inches, ISBN 1-55307-021-6, $25 ebook, $30 paperback
Table of Contents
What You Must Know
Preface
Foreword
Part 1 -- First Things First
Introduction: How To Use This Book
Chapter 1 What To Do In An Emergency
Chapter 2 Getting Organized: ÔTo DoÕ Checklists For Families
Chapter 3 A Summary Of Some Of The Basics
Part 2 - Hospice Stories
Chapter 4 Personal Stories Of What Is Possible
Part 3 - Hospice Care Philosophy of Care
Chapter 5 Hospice Care: The Dignified Way To Live Before You Die
Chapter 6 Patient And Family Relationships With Professional And Volunteer Caregivers
Chapter 7 Care For The Caregivers
Part 4 -- Physical Needs
Chapter 8 Pain And Symptom Control
Chapter 9 What To Expect At The End Of Life
Part 5: Emotional and Spiritual Needs
Chapter 10 Emotional Aspects Of Dying and Death
Chapter 11 Understanding And Dealing With Grief
Chapter 12 Spiritual Aspects Of Dying And Death
Part 6: Information Needs
Chapter 13 Medical Questions To Ask And Answer
Chapter 14 Home Care Tips
Chapter 15 Legal And Moral Rights And Responsibilities
Chapter 16 Preparing Legal And Financial Affairs
Chapter 17 Preparing Funeral Arrangements
Part 7: Community Resources
Chapter 18 Finding Support In Your Community
Chapter 19 Creating Your Own Support Circle/Team
Chapter 20 Using Your Experience to Become A Neighborhood Resource
Glossary
References
Index
Testimonials
"Family Hospice Care" offers solid information not only about the "what and how to", but in the true spirit of Hospice it offers insightful reflections on "whole person care". I believe that what this book offers families and patients is empowerment and control. - Gayle Dunsmuir, Coordinator, 100 Mile District Hospice/Palliative Care Society
Our philosophy is to empower family members, patients, caregivers and friends by providing information and education so they can provide better care and have better quality of life. These books will be valued by many - people can make more informed choices - how better still to provide care. They will ultimately make this difficult time a more meaningful experience for everyone. Thank you for such a valuable contribution to hospice/ palliative care! - Nancy Macey, Executive Director, Delta Hospice Society
Family Hospice Care will be a great resource for family caregivers as it answers their many questions and addresses their fears. We often speak to people about these issues but they cannot relay the information to other family members, so having the book to share is very helpful. - Donalda Carson, Executive Director, Prince George Hospice Society
Many of our clients and their families will benefit from the information provided in "Family Hospice Care". There is a need for practical, easily understood information for families experiencing a life-threatening illness and this book has proven to be very helpful. - Meredith Wild, Palliative Care Coordinator, West View Regional Health Authority, Hinton, AB
I have read the book and feel it has excellent information for so many who work for the patient. There is a lot of good information for the family as well. - Marion Cook, Palliative Care Coordinator, Ashern Community Health Office
"Family Hospice Care" is a wonderful resource, not only for the families we serve but also for our volunteers. The content is practical and comprehensive and will certainly be a valued, added support. - Patricia Vernooy, President, Palliative Care Services of Greater Fort Erie
Wonderful resource for caregivers. I thank you. Very informative; excellent resource. - Dr. Sol Stern M.D., Chairman Palliative Care HHSC, Medical Advisor Web of Care.com
One of the keys to empowering clients and their caregivers is to offer information which they can understand and put into practice. Having this book in hand is comparable to new mothers having "Dr. Spock's " baby books at hand in the 60's - it offers good basic advice and reassurance that clients and caregivers can cope. - Marg Hogben, Executive Director, Hospice Dufferin
Excellent book! It covers very pertinent information for families as well as giving extra clear directions for both families and professionals in the health care field. Congratulations! Thank you! - Lucie Savoie, R.N., Client Service Coordinator, Sudbury Regional Palliative Care Association
This is a very practical book. The information is easy to read, short and concise. The layout of the book allows the family/patient/volunteer to easily access the information pertinent to them as they read it. - Sherry Loveridge, RN, Coordinator Palliative Care Volunteer Visiting, VON
Free Online, eBook and Paperbacks Available
To read this book online for FREE.
Order the printed paperback book for $30. Click here:
FAMILY HOSPICE CARE (formerly titled Choices)
Harry van Bommel, Legacies, 2006, 310 pp
This is the sixth edition of this book, published 20 years after the first, and it boasts more than 100,000 copies in print. The latter figure tells me that the book is indeed as useful and practical as it appears. Here is just about everything that a caregiver, a relative, or the patients themselves might want to know about palliative care. The material is presented clearly, in an easy to understand manner. Sections describe hospice and palliative care, physical needs, emotional and spiritual needs, information needs and community resources. There are lots of practical tips to help the caregiver/relative to provide care and at the same time care for themselves. The next time a caregiver or relative asks where they can find out more about palliative care, I will recommend this book.
Roger Woodruff, Director of Palliative Care, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia (March 2008)
“This is a must-read for all Canadians, whether they are taking care of a palliative care loved one at this time or not. It will prepare you for the journey ahead, should you confront that situation. (And most of us will.) It provides checklists of the elements you will want to manage if you are helping care for a palliative patient at home.”
Michael Decter and Francesca Grosso (2006) in Navigating Canada’s Health Care: A User Guide to Getting the Care You Need. Toronto: Penguin Books, p. 266-267.
This book brings together a great deal of important information, thoughtful reflection and insights from someone who has had the experience of caring for seriously ill and dying members of his own family. It has been said that a vital part of ‘hospice’ work consists of re-empowering patients and their families. Harry van Bommel has marked a very important milestone in achieving that goal.
Dr. Thérèse Vanier, palliative care pioneer in England and France and retired hospice physician
Choices is an informative practical guide for people who have a terminal illness and their families.
Dr. Herman Feifel, Ph.D., Chief of Psychology Service, Veterans Administration, Los Angeles; ‘Grandfather” of the hospice palliative care movement in America
This practical “how to” book is loaded with information to support caregivers and their loved ones during a tumultuous time. I sure wish this book existed during my husband’s dying days to provide answers to many questions.
Susan Delmar, B.Ed., M.Ed.
“This book does indeed give many choices. I will strongly endorse it at our workshops...”
Dr. Elisabeth Kübler-Ross
....required reading for patients, family members and caregivers facing terminal illness....An indispensable resource book which combines accuracy of information, clarity of style and organization and unusual sensitivity.
Dr. Balfour Mount, M.D., F.R.C.S.(C), Director, Palliative Care Service, Royal Victoria Hospital, Montreal
Insightful, Informative, Indispensable...a great contribution.
Rabbi Earl A. Grollman, D.D., author of When Your Loved Ones is Dying and dmany other books in this field.
Choices is a sensitive and sensible approach to stresses that are normally not joyful. I know this book will be a great value to anyone facing these crises.
Dr. Peter G. Hanson, M.D., author of the international bestseller, The Joy of Stress.