Transitions in dying and bereavement - Moira Cairns

Transitions in Dying and Bereavement: A Psychosocial Guide for Hospice and Palliative Care compassionately explains the key transitions that chronically ill and dying people, their families, and caregivers move through during the process from diagnosis to death to bereavement. Readers learn the most effective interventions to ease the confusion and stress experienced by clients during these transitions. Clear explanations along with case studies and sample dialogues reveal the issues and challenges presented at each phase of the journey. Readers will also find:

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  activities, exercises, personal essays, poetry, and illustrations that put a human face on the hospice experience


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  ways to improve communication about the experience of dying and bereavement


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  ways to help in planning for death


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  ways to help alleviate anxiety, fear, fatigue/burnout, and feelings of denial and powerlessness


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  perspectives on body image, intimacy, and sexuality in people who are dying


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  sensitive explanations on navigating the three phases of grief


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  multicultural and interdenominational perspectives on death and dying


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  myriad ways to support staff in this highly challenging work

Nurses, physicians, counselors, social workers, allied health professionals, and volunteers can discover how dying, death, and bereavement can become a rich, complex journey of body, mind, and spirit for all involved.