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Music Review: “Fourth of July” by Sufjan Stevens
A fictional conversation between the songwriter and his dying motherThe cover for the album Carrie & Lowell by Sufjan Stevens Credit: Asthmatic Kitty Records Michigan-born songwriter Sufjan Stevens has a reputation for deeply personal, emotionally complex folk music that often deals with family, faith, and, commonly, mortality. “Fourth of July” from the 2015 album Carrie & Lowell is one of the most prominent entries…
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When A Child Has A Terminal Illness
Reflections on a short, full lifeEach month Kathleen Clohessy, R.N., offers a new perspective on living with a terminal illness. Kathleen comes to SevenPonds with 25 years experience as a registered nurse caring for families and children facing life-threatening illness. She began her career in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Nassau County Medical Center in New York, and, after relocating…
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13 Heartfelt Ways to Celebrate the Holidays with a Loved One on Hospice Care (Interview)
Lightways Director of Grief and Integrative Therapies, Patrice Martin, shares her advice on celebrating the holidays in hospice care in an interviewThe holiday season is a perfect time for remembrance and celebration, but traditions can often look a little different for families with loved ones in hospice care. Patrice Martin has collaborated with Lightways’ grief counselors, music therapists, and child life specialists to provide SevenPonds with some heartfelt ways families can create meaningful holidays with their…
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Understanding Fatigue at the End of Life
Dying is hard work. The dying body has little energy for getting out of bedJoin SevenPonds each month as Tani Bahti, RN, CT, CHPN, offers practical on-hand guidance to demystify the dying process. An RN since 1976, Tani has been working to empower families and healthcare professionals to have the best end-of-life experience possible both through education and the development of helpful tools and resources. The current Director of Pathways, Tani is also the author of “Dying to Know, Straight…
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Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy for Near-Death Experiences May Reduce Death Anxiety
Recent study shows that immersive VR exposure to death significantly reduced anxious thoughts about deatha person wearing a virtual reality headset (not related to the study) credit: lyncconf.com, Wikimedia Commons Death and mortality are often considered taboo subjects in many cultures, especially in many parts of North America and Europe. Thoughts surrounding death may even bring about anxiety and stress for many, which can interfere with daily life. While…
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7 Thoughtful Holiday Gifts for Someone Grieving: 2025 Edition
Suggestions for some beautiful and thoughtful gifts for a loved one going through lossGrief affects everyone differently, but the holiday season is typically a difficult time for most people who have gone through the loss of a loved one. If you know someone (including yourself) who is grieving, there are a few gifts that can help with healing and comfort during difficult times. Since the grieving process is…
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Meaningful Things to Consider After the Sudden Death of a Loved One, Prior to Making Final Arrangements (Interview)
An interview with Erica Hill, licensed funeral director and founder of Sparrow, a contemporary funeral homeWith a background in video production, merchandising, and philanthropy, Erica Hill’s passion for storytelling is evident when she helps families say goodbye to their loved ones. The funeral ceremonies she has helped conduct at Sparrow located in New York City — “a luxury modern funeral home” — have run the gamut from simple and sparse…
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