Author Archives: Liz Matsushita (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

What Is a Palliative Care Nurse? An Interview with Judith Redwing Keyssar

Palliative care specialist opens up about health care, consultation, and end-of-life

  Judith Redwing Keyssar is the Director of the Palliative Care Program at Seniors at Home, a program of the Jewish Family and Children’s Service. Her book, Last Acts of Kindness (2010), is a collection of her experiences being a … Continue reading

Posted in Professional Advice | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Up by Disney and Pixar

How Pixar makes a floating house lead to a healing journey in one of the greatest animated love stories

 Pixar is that magical Emeryville-based animation company that can do no wrong (except, perhaps, for the Cars franchise; otherwise, their output is perfection). In 2009, Pixar released what may be its magnum opus to date: UP. It’s a fun, entertaining romp … Continue reading

Posted in Lending Insight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

What is the Threshold Choir? An Interview with Kate Munger

We discuss the Threshold Choir's mission to provide lovely, comforting songs to the ill and dying

Today SevenPonds speaks with Kate Munger who founded the Threshold Choir in 2000 with the idea of creating a chorus of women’s voices that could provide soothing song at people’s bedsides. She now administers a large network of of choirs … Continue reading

Posted in Professional Advice | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

“Birds of America” by Lorrie Moore (1998)

Lorrie Moore's stories deal artfully with illness and mortality in young children

  Lorrie Moore has made an appearance on this blog before for a reason. Her simple, incisive writing and her tragically everyday characters make for some very affecting pieces on life, death and sickness. Moore’s 1998 collection of short stories … Continue reading

Posted in Lending Insight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven” by Sherman Alexie

Famed Native American author mixes dark humor and sadness in his treatments of loss and death

A while back, I reviewed the 1998 film Smoke Signals on the SevenPonds blog. This inspired me to read the collection of short stories on which the film was based. The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is a … Continue reading

Posted in Lending Insight | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Smoke Signals by Chris Eyre

Native American Chris Eyre's film takes a funny and poignant look at two kinds of loss

Unfortunately, it is rare to find films with all Native American casts and it’s especially rare to find one that has reached anything approaching a wide release. That’s why the 1998 indie film Smoke Signals (directed by Chris Eyre), based … Continue reading

Posted in Lending Insight | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment