Tag Archives: weekend reads

2015 in the Palliverse – palliative care reading

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Are you looking for some reading over the summer holidays (or winter if you’re that way inclined)? Over the next fortnight, we’ll be looking back at some of our posts over the past year. We’ve been to conferences, reflected on clinical and research experiences, shared palliative care educational resources (#FOAMPal) and hosted guest contributors.

A good place to start for palliative care reading is our “Elsewhere in the Palliverse” posts, curated lists of palliative care articles, blog posts, educational resources and the occasional video from Australia, New Zealand, and beyond. This year we’ve shared fifteen “Elsewhere in the Palliverse” posts. We’ve had special editions for events like World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, Dying to Know Day, and Halloween.

To be alerted about new Palliverse posts, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn or hit the “Follow” button in the right-hand column to subscribe to email alerts.

 

Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Halloween edition

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photo by David Mao itsdavoToday (in some parts of the world) it’s Halloween or, as Caitlin Doughty (@TheGoodDeath) calls it, “Culturally Sanctioned Morbidity Appreciation Day.” Please enjoy these links, which have nothing to do with Halloween but may have something to do with palliative care.

Is death taboo? The Groundswell Project conducted a quick survey. The results may surprise you. (The Groundswell Project)

Health researcher on a mission to get Indigenous men talking about prostate cancer and sexual health (ABC News)

“It’s about starting a conversation…[Doctors need to] throw in a phrase like how you going, how’s the old boy, is he getting up, is he getting the job done?”

“…I find men want to talk about it, but someone has to start the conversation with them.”

The silver tsunami is actually silver-brown. How does end-of-life care differ for minorities? asks geriatrician and palliative care doctor VJ Periyakoil (@palliator) in the Washington Post.

Pulitzer prize-winner Tina Rosenberg visits La Crosse, Wisconsin, home of the Respecting Choices program, where 96% of adults reportedly participate in advance care planning discussions. (Talking Early About How Life Should End, New York Times).

And now, a video about advance care planning!

Going to work, writing letters for the future and speaking your mind: Day-to-day living when you know you’re dying (Independent, UK)

In Australia: Federal Government to legalise growing of medicinal cannabis; Labor calls for nationwide scheme (ABC News). Apparently, we’re all for it: Legalised medical marijuana opposed by only 7% of Australians, poll shows (Guardian Australia)

Here’s a strange story to finish the list – “Parkinson’s disease: Scottish woman Joy Milne prompts study after claiming ability to smell condition.” Odd. Thanks to my colleague Dr Bornshin for the link. (ABC News)

Elsewhere in the Palliverse – #WHPCDay15 Edition

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WHPCD15

Today, 10th October 2015, is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (#WHPCDay15). This year’s theme, “Hidden Lives, Hidden Patients”, puts the focus on people with palliative care needs who may struggle with access to palliative care, “including children, LGBT individuals, HIV prisoners, soldiers and those living in rural settings.” Below are some recent articles from around the web, drawing attention to some of the “hidden lives” in palliative care.

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Elsewhere in the Palliverse – #D2KD Edition

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photo by David Mao itsdavoWelcome to this week’s collection all things palliative from around the web. There have been some excellent palliative care-related articles published recently in the mainstream media, in addition to coverage of Dying to Know Day.

It’s Dying To Know Day (#D2KD) in Australia tomorrow, an “annual day of action dedicated to bringing to life conversations and community actions around death, dying and bereavement.” D2KD Ambassador Molly Carlile, AKA the Deathtalker, appeared on The Weekly this week, passionately arguing that the community needs to take ownership of death back from the health system, with discussion of advance care planning, preferred place of death, bereavement and more. I love her plans for her own funeral – watch the video above to find out more (it’s an extended version of the interview that appeared on TV). Continue reading →

Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Weekend Reads

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photo by David Mao itsdavo

Welcome to the 23rd edition of Elsewhere in the Palliverse. I hope you find value in this week’s links about palliative care and research – complete with animal story.

You’re welcome, animal-lovers.

As always, please share your thoughts in the comments.

Brand new blog DocGrief is “a dedicated space for health professionals to reflect and explore our relationship with death and grief, particularly when personally affected by a death in the family.” It was started by a rural GP based in South Australia. Her first post is heartfelt and I am following with interest. Continue reading →

Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Weekend Reads

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photo by David Mao itsdavoI have a few palliative care links to share this week. If you’re not satisfied, we also share links on our Facebook page and Twitter account (you don’t need your own Twitter account to see what we’re posting), and you can check out our Elsewhere in the Palliverse archives.

At the End of Life Studies blog, Dr Naomi Richards examines the question, “Is the voluntary refusal of food and fluid an alternative to assisted dying“?

Talking About Dying Won’t Kill You, says Palliative Care Australia, writes comedian Jean Kittson (Sydney Morning Herald)

And a palliative care nurse told me that day after day she visited a person dying at home and day after day she walked into a house full of scented candles and rainforest music, until one day she said “Is anyone else sick of these scented candles?” and the family said “Yes”.  “And is anyone else sick of this rainforest music?” And the family said “Yes”. So the nurse said “Well, let’s open some windows, and what music does your mum like? OK, let’s put on some Stones.”

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Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Weekend Reads

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photo by David Mao itsdavo

Welcome to this weekend’s reads. People seem to enjoy the cute animal stories, so I’ve included one (near the end, if you want to read it first).

The latest paediatric palliative care video (below) from Little Stars is about treating chronic pain in children. It’s nice to see how the interdisciplinary team interacts with, and respects, the girl in the video.

An article that is all over my social media feeds this week: Knowing How Doctors Die Can Change End of Life Discussions. It also brought back to mind this article on How Doctors Die. (NPR)

“I felt like I was beating up people at the end of their life…I would be doing the CPR with tears coming down sometimes, and saying, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry, goodbye.’ Because I knew that it very likely not going to be successful. It just seemed a terrible way to end someone’s life.” Continue reading →

Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Weekend Reads

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photo by David Mao itsdavo

This week’s reading list features stories from around the globe.

Telehealth helps to facilitate home-based palliative care in Taiwan, in one of a series of EAPC blogposts about palliative care in SE Asia (Cloud-based platform for palliative care at home)

Tailored care for older patients with cancer in Latin America: an imminent challenge (British Geriatrics Society blog)

“Although it is unrealistic to believe that someday every older adult with cancer will be treated by a geriatric oncologist, we should make every effort to offer geriatric training to all healthcare professionals and to create bridges between geriatrics and other medical specialties.”

Health advocate and heart attack survivor Carolyn Thomas on the physiological and emotional response to the fear of dying during a heart attack. Continue reading →

Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Weekend Reads

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photo by David Mao itsdavo

I hope you enjoy this week’s reads, which include topics like wills, funerals, dementia, research ethics and the experience of a hospice nurse who becomes carer for her mother. I hope there’s no typos – I’m rushing off to a communication skills workshop but wanted to post this before I leave.

As always, please leave your thoughts in the comments box below.

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Elsewhere in the Palliverse – Weekend Reads

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photo by David Mao itsdavoHere’s the latest collection of reads for your weekend, with palliative care news from around the world, research and social media advice, and a palliative pet care story. As always, please enjoy and share your thoughts in the comments below.

Today is World Refugee Day, at a time when world refugee numbers are at their highest since WWII. A new Palliative Care in Complex Humanitarian Emergencies (PALCHE) network has launched to help address the unmet palliative care needs of the world’s >60 million refugees. Read about it (and find out how to get involved) at ehospice.

Happy 10th Birthday, Pallimed! Continue reading →