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“Fairytale of New York”
A 1987 Irish folk style ballad about a couple who have fallen on hard timesWith Christmas around the corner, the radio and shops are already alive with seasonal music, reminding us that this is a time of good tidings for all. But there’s one song you won’t hear on the radio or in the shops, and it’s arguably THE Christmas anthem of an entire generation: “Fairytale of New York” by The…
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Neck Scan Could Predict Dementia 10 Years Prior To Symptom Onset
Researchers from University College London released their findings at the American Heart Association’s scientific conference last monthA quick neck scan that analyzes the strength of a person’s blood vessels could help predict their risk of developing dementia 10 years before the onset of symptoms, according to a new study. Researchers from University College London studied roughly 3,200 patients aged 58 to 74 who had pulse pressure from a specific artery in their…
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“Having Lost My Sons, I Confront the Wreckage of the Moon: Christmas, 1960”
James Arlington Wright’s poem speaks of grief at ChristmasCold despair slapped my psyche the first time I read the poem, “Having Lost My Sons I Confront the Wreckage of the Moon: Christmas, 1960” by James Arlington Wright. Haunted by the icy imagery and the brutal sadness the poem conveys, I had to take a deep breath, struck dumb by this poem of loss…
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Four Contemporary Urn Designs that Beautifully Defy Tradition
Modern designers are rethinking the funerary urn with contemporary designsWhen I think about the aesthetics of death, at least here in the United States, a certain set of characteristics come to mind: dark colors, somber motifs, and fairly rigid forms that conform to traditions established long before I ever began thinking about death and dying. In every area of funerary design, though, people are…
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Richard Rainwater Leaves a Legacy of Hope
A billionaire who died of a rare brain disorder posthumously awards millions for researchWhen billionaire investor Richard Rainwater learned he had an incurable brain disease, he dealt with the news in the same way he approached much of his life. Already a philanthropist, he quickly directed his Rainwater Charitable Foundation to fund a new nonprofit, naming it the Tau Consortium after the tau proteins that contributed to his…
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Adult Coloring Books
A holiday activity gift to help release griefThe holidays are here, and it can be stressful to select just the right gift for a friend or family member who is grieving. During the first two years of grief, most people are struggling with the reality of the loss, causing them to alternate emotionally between shock and a kind of unexpected spinning in…
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Our Monthly Tip: Seven Holiday Gifts for Someone Who Is Grieving
These gifts may lift the spirits of loved ones who have suffered lossComfort and joy can seem so out of reach to someone who is grieving during the holiday season. Family gatherings and annual traditions can rekindle the ache of loss over long lost loved ones too. Still, a well-chosen gift — one that adds a touch of self-care, simple beauty or even whimsy to their day — can ease the pain…
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Gracie Bell, Imprint of Akashic Books, to Focus on Books about Grief and Recovery
Grief memoirs can be helpful to the healing processHow can you bear the weight of grief? How can you survive the searing burn of loss or deal with the dull, consistent ache that lingers after the death of a loved one? Many people find help in books. Gracie Bell Will Focus on Books About Grief and Recovery Ann Hood, Akashic Books, and their…
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Palliative Care Is Not Giving Up
Helping patients live the best life possible should always be the goal of careRecently, I read an op-ed in the Washington Post written by Dr. Isaac Chan, a medical oncology fellow at the Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. The title was “ My Patients Are Dying. I Won’t Give Up on Them.” At first I thought the piece would be what…
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