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Hospital-at-Home Programs Are Revolutionizing Patient Care
Hospital-at-home programs provide in-home care for the seriously illFor years, the number of Americans dying at home has increased, eventually outpacing the number of people dying in hospitals. One in three Americans has experienced a family member dying at home within the past five years, and the awareness and acceptance of hospice home programs continues to grow. Mirroring this, more and more Americans…
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Beyond the Rainbow Bridge: Exploring Shared Burial of Pets and Owners
Human-pet co-burial is more common than you might thinkThe bond between humans and their pets is a special and enduring connection that transcends words. For centuries, animals have been cherished members of our families, offering companionship, comfort, and unwavering loyalty. It’s no wonder that many people want to remain close to their furry friends even in death. It is considered “normal” to be…
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The Power of Rituals for Healing Grief and Loss (Interview)
Gabrielle Elise Jimenez embraces rituals with patients, clients and familiesHospice nurse and end-of-life doula Gabrielle Elise Jimenez has not had an easy life. During a recent Zoom class on ritual and forgiveness, she shared several more-than-challenging things to forgive: A father who was physically and emotionally abusive, a family friend who sexually assaulted her at a young age and a partner whose infidelity caused…
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Our Monthly Tip: Create Your Own Death Shroud to Prepare for Your Final Rest
Special guest Susanne Duijvestein shares how to DIY your own shroudOur Monthly Tip: Last month, Seven Ponds interviewed sustainable funeral director Susanne Duijvestein, who has been teaching small groups how to lovingly create their own death shrouds. Drawing on centuries old traditions, Susanne invites people of all ages to engage with death in an artistic way. By welcoming their future death, participants can better prepare…
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“Girl With Death Mask” by Frida Kahlo
Frida Kahlo laces her eerie painting with symbolic signs of hopeAs we approach Halloween and All Souls Day, it’s a fitting time to discuss one of Frida Kahlo’s more eerie paintings. One of the 20th-century’s most iconic artists, Kahlo was not shy about expressing grief and death on her canvases.
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“The Good Mourning”
A book following a grieving child who offers helpful advice for children and adultsAn estimated 6 million children ages 0-17 in the U.S.A will have a parent or sibling die. While there are numerous picture books for children themed around grief or processing death, most of these are written by adults. It’s rare to find a child writing about grief for other children, but that’s exactly what Sheldon…
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“Abuelo”
Finding forgiveness through poetry and creative expressionI couldn’t be who I amtoday if it wasn’t for youbeing dead. It was timefor glitter, nail polish, and locs.Glitter in my nail polish.Glitter in my locs.You wouldn’t haveloved me loving myself;my joy renderedinconvenience.Sucked teeth keeping meyour grandson.My love for the menin our familyis complicated butstill love. In “Abuelo,” Afro-Caribbean poet, Gabriel Ramirez, mourns the…
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New Study Sheds Light on Brain’s Activity During Cardiac Arrest
The study examined memory and consciousness among a sample of in-hospital cardiac arrest survivorsA recently published study in the European medical journal Resuscitation is drawing attention around the world for its fascinating findings around what happens to the brain during cardiac arrest.
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“Last Kiss”
A teenage tragedy song from the 60s speaks to a hope for reunion“Last Kiss,” performed by J. Frank Wilson and the Cavaliers, is one of the most popular songs in the teenage tragedy genre that was wildly popular in the late 1950s and 1960s. DJs often referred to these tunes as “tear jerkers” or “death discs.” Cemented in listeners’ hearts by the untimely death of the 24-year-old…
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