The Dying Process: What Caregivers Need to Know with Barbara Karnes RN | EOLU Podcast

This week I'm welcoming once again my recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN who is a hospice nurse, author, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care and the dynamics of dying. She is the author of Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience, also known in the hospice world as "the little blue book," which remains the leading resource on the market today educating families on the signs of approaching death. She discusses the most common questions and concerns that arise for caregivers as their loved one goes through the final stages of life. Learn more about Barbara's work and books at her website:
https://bkbooks.com/

This episode includes:
🍃 Stages of the natural dying process that are commonly observed
🍂 Fear of death can interfere with meaning at the end of life
🍃 The importance of education for the general public about the signs and changes of natural dying
🍂 Gradual death has a process that begins 2-6 months before death
🍃 The first stage of dying is marked by changes in sleep, socialization and food intake which become more significant with time
🍂 The "labor" of dying begins 2-3 weeks before death
🍃 Mottling of skin is a sign of the final stage along with changes in breathing
🍂 Being at the bedside of someone who is dying forces us to be in the present moment
🍃 Why it's difficult to predict exactly when a person will die even though we know what signs to watch for

Links:
🍂 Blog: How Being a Caregiver Helped Me With Grief https://eolupodcast.com/2024/10/17/ho...
🍃 NEW Gift Guides for Caregivers, People Receiving Care, and People Who are Grieving https://eolupodcast.com/gift-guides/

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7 Lessons for Living from the Dying : https://www.indiebound.org/book/97817...
The Journey from Ego to Soul: https://www.indiebound.org/book/97809...

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🍂 Intro Music Credit:
"Bright Wish" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
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