End of Life

Calling in hospice for the care of an elderly parent or other a loved one means you need to come to terms, on all levels, with the idea that this person is dying.

When death is near, patients and family members are often overwhelmed by fear of the unknown. Learn how caregivers can help alleviate common anxieties and support their aging loved ones at the end of life.

A do-not-resuscitate order (DNR) is an advance care planning document that specifies what potentially life-sustaining medical interventions a person does not want to receive. A basic DNR order usually states a patient’s wish to avoid undergoing CPR.

Deciding whether to tell someone who is cognitively impaired that their spouse has died is a serious and often recurring struggle. Dementia and death are sad and challenging enough on their own, but when they coincide, the result can be truly heartbreaking.

The death of a spouse is one of the single most traumatic losses anyone can experience no matter the age. As the grieving process progresses, there comes a time when a senior needs to plan for the future. Explore the grieving process and some tips for moving forward.

For seniors with Parkinson’s disease, life expectancy can be difficult to gauge. Fortunately, outcomes have improved over the past decades thanks to medical advances in symptom management and the development of a comprehensive approach to patient care.

End-of-life care decisions are often challenging and time-sensitive. Learning about how one can qualify for hospice and the specific services a hospice organization can provide will help minimize anxiety and confusion surrounding these important choices.

End-stage dementia is characterized by a rapid loss of speech and mobility as well as systemic infections as the body begins to shut down completely.

On its own, dementia doesn’t normally cause death. As it progresses, however, the condition can increase vulnerability to life-threatening infections.

Music is an easy and meaningful way to personalize final arrangements. Whether you’re searching for religious hymns, songs about death, or uplifting selections for a celebration of life, look to this memorial playlist for inspiration.

The AgingCare.com forum is filled with people coming together to share valuable information. We’ve compiled experienced caregivers’ best tips for grieving in your own way, at your own pace.

Sometimes simple discussions about fears and hopes for the remainder of one’s life can prove to be far more healing than surgeries and medication.

The AgingCare.com forum is filled with people coming together to share valuable information. We’ve compiled experienced caregivers’ best suggestions for making final arrangements for your loved one.

People once avoided certain topics, like talking about death and dying, but that's slowly changing. Here is why those discussions are so important to individual patients, their families and friends.

I had always believed that aging parents should be cared for at home. When I finally made the difficult decision to hand over my caregiving duties to the professionals, it allowed me to truly enjoy spending precious time with my dad.

Brain donations are a scarce yet valuable resource for scientists who are searching for ways to prevent and treat conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. Each donation brings researchers closer to a medical breakthrough.

Music has impressive healing powers for people of all ages but can be especially comforting for those who are terminally ill. Music-thanatologists are specially trained to use music to provide peace and reassurance throughout the dying process.

Caring for a loved one who is dying often forces caregivers to come to terms with their mortality. Although death is a touchy subject, it is important for both caregivers and their loved ones to be able to express their feelings about this natural event.

After a loved one passes away, they are still susceptible to identity theft and fraudulent activity. However, there are some steps that you can take to ensure that their information does not fall into the wrong hands.

Stories about long-married couples who die close together often make the news because they remind us that, ideally, marriage is for eternity.