Author Archives: Melissa Gouty

Hope on the Horizon? The Family Act Proposes Paid Family Leave

Congress is currently considering legislation to allow paid leave for most family caregivers

What is one thing that the U.S. doesn’t provide for its workforce that every other industrialized country in the world does? Paid family leave. Would you take time off work to be with a dying parent? Would you be willing … Continue reading

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“Moment” by Honorata Martin

Polish artist tries to recreate the experience of death

Honorata Martin thinks outside the box. She also thinks outside the body. She is a painter, performer and visual artist on a quest to record what the experience of death feels like. The picture above is titled, “Moment,” and is … Continue reading

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Washington Introduces the Long-Term Care Trust Act

Rep. Laurie Jinkins proposed the bill, which is already approved by the House

In American history, the pioneers moved from the East Coast to the West. In modern times, however, the West Coast often leads the country in innovation. Right now, Washington State is pioneering a financial plan that may move eastward and … Continue reading

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The Bloom Project Delivers Joy at the End of Life

A cadre of volunteers supplies repurposed flowers to people in hospice

A room where someone is dying can be a sad place. Often, someone at the end of life does not get outside. Sometimes a person cannot move from the bed. So it is a true gift of love — and … Continue reading

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“Remembering I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve encountered to help me make the big choices in life.”

- Steve Jobs
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How Has Hospice Social Work Changed Over the Years?

An interview with Susan M. Weisberg, a hospice social worker with 45 years of experience, Part Two

Susan M. Weisberg is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who works as a hospice social worker in the South Bay area near San Francisco. In addition to her education and Social Work License, Susan received specialized training in end-of-life care at … Continue reading

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