WELCOME TO OUR BLOG
Welcome to the SevenPonds.com blog – a community-driven extension of SevenPonds.com! I hope you find comfort and community in the resources and stories featured here. I’m always happy to hear from readers and can be reached at suzette@sevenponds.com.
FEATURED
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Final Messages of the Dying: Finding meaning in metaphors and symbolic language -
Will I Die in Pain?: For patients living with a terminal illness, the fear of pain is very real -
When A Child Has A Terminal Illness: Reflections on a short, full life, part two
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Categories
Tag Archives: End-of-life care
The Messenger: Doctors and End-of-Life Conversations
How can healthcare professionals learn to better communicate about end-of-life issues with terminal patients?
How do you tell someone that they’re dying? Telling someone they have a terminal illness is a regular part of the job for some doctors. Yet, the folks behind the Alive Institute initiative believe that many healthcare professionals aren’t adequately … Continue reading
Polypharmacy During Final Months of Life Can Be Futile
Many older people are prescribed ten-plus medications during their last months of life
A new study published in The American Journal of Medicine finds that older adults often receive numerous medications of questionable benefit in their final months of life. Previous estimates have shown that between 25 and 40 percent of people aged … Continue reading
Cancer Patients Might Be More Optimistic About Prognosis Than Their Doctors
A small study finds conflicting opinions between doctors and their patients
According to a recent study, the majority of cancer patients believe they will live longer than their estimated prognosis. Researchers found that many patients remain optimistic about their survival chances even after their doctors give them a poor prognosis. Professors at … Continue reading
New Quality Measures for Nursing Homes Give Patients Better Information
The five new qualities will change overall nursing home ratings
For years now, the Five Star Quality Ratings system has helped patients and their families compare nursing homes to find the best fit. This year, that rating system has expanded to include five more quality measures, giving patients an even … Continue reading
How Can Palliative Care Be Implemented in the ICU?
An interview with Dr. Jessica Nutik-Zitter, Part Two
Today SevenPonds concludes our interview with Dr. Jessica Nutik-Zitter, M.D. Dr. Zitter is a board certified specialist in both critical care and hospice and palliative medicine and an attending physician in the intensive care unit at Highland Hospital in Oakland, … Continue reading
After the Death Panel Controversy, Physicians Struggle with End-of-Life Care
New medical codes could help patients plan their healthcare
An anesthesiologist described a chaotic scene in his hospital. Years ago, an elderly woman was rushed to the operating room with bowel trauma, septic shock and multi-system organ failure. The anesthesiologist, surgeon and nursing staff didn’t expect her to survive. … Continue reading
