Articles to empower you with end-of-life care

Compassion Crossing, LLC

Guiding Life's Journey with Care

Compassion Crossing, LLC

Guiding Life's Journey with Care

Identifying Patients Who May Benefit from Hospice Care: A Visual Observation Guide for Personal Care Facilities

About Hospice, Caregiving Tips, Death and Dying, End of Life, Hospice, Prognostication, Starting Hospice, Terminal Illness, Tips and Tricks, Tips For Nurses

Identifying when a patient may benefit from hospice care is a critical yet often challenging task. For caregivers, including Certified Nursing Assistants (CNAs) and Medical Technicians (Med Techs), visual observation can be a powerful tool for recognizing signs that suggest a hospice referral might be appropriate.

This guide is tailored to assist caregivers in personal care facilities in identifying these signs through visual observation methods, helping provide compassionate and timely end-of-life care.

Top 30 FAQs About Hospice: Everything You Need to Know

About Hospice, Bereavement and Grief, Hospice

Discover hospice care, eligibility, benefits, provider choice, costs, services, and more. Learn how hospice addresses physical, emotional, spiritual, and social needs and how to prepare for and manage them. Find out about the roles of the hospice team and the primary caregiver and the signs of approaching death. Empower yourself with the knowledge to make informed decisions about compassionate end-of-life care.

The Dying Process at the End of Life

Actively Dying, Death and Dying, Dying Process, End of Life, Hospice, How Much Longer, Last Hours, Prognostication, Transitioning

The dying process involves physical and emotional changes as the body shuts down. As the heart weakens, circulation slows, leading to cold hands and feet, pale skin, and drowsiness. Breathing becomes irregular and shallow. The patient may experience delirium or visions. Providing comfort through pain management, emotional support, and spiritual care is crucial.

Is my loved one starving or being dehydrated to death?

Death and Dying, Dying Process, End of Life, Hospice, Nutrition, Nutrition At End Of Life, Terminal Illness

When a loved one nears the end of life, it’s natural to worry about their nutrition and hydration. This article explains why they may not need food or water and how you can provide comfort during this time.

The Comfort of Home: Empowering Families to Care for Dying Loved Ones

Death and Dying, End-of-Life Doula, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care

As more Americans choose to die at home, families often face a "trial by fire" in caregiving. A New Orleans nonprofit is bridging this skills gap. Learn how life transition coaches, end-of-life doulas, and resources like The Hospice Journey Handbook can empower you to provide compassionate support.

A Calmer Approach: Understanding and De-Escalating Patient Agitation

Caregiving Tips, Hospice, Non-Pharmacological, Palliative Care, Symptom Management, Tips and Tricks, Tips For Nurses

Patient agitation can feel overwhelming, but de-escalation techniques rooted in compassion can make a real difference. Discover the CALMER framework—six practical communication skills designed to help you recognize early warning signs, calm tense situations, and build trust even during difficult moments.

The Gap Between Generic Forms and True Peace of Mind: A Guide to Meaningful Advance Directives

Advance Directives, Advocacy, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care

Everyone 18 and older needs advance directives, but how do you choose between free forms, attorneys, or end-of-life doulas? We break down the costs, pros, and cons of each to help you ensure your medical wishes are honored.

The Hidden Costs of Hospice Fraud: Protecting Patients and Families

About Hospice, Advocacy, Caregiving Tips, Case Studies, Ethical Dilemma, Ethics, Hospice, Palliative Care, Tips and Tricks

Hospice fraud not only harms terminally ill patients but also devastates their caregivers and families. This article explores the impacts and offers tips on choosing a reliable hospice provider.

Finding Your Voice: How Nurses and Doctors Can Confidently Initiate End-of-Life Conversations

Advance Directives, Advocacy, Death and Dying, Ethics, Hospice, Nurse Skills, Palliative Care, Tips and Tricks, Tips For Nurses

As a nurse or doctor, you have the power to transform patient care through timely end-of-life conversations. This guide provides practical strategies to help you confidently discuss prognosis, encourage advance care planning, and introduce hospice care when appropriate—across hospitals, nursing facilities, and more.

Finding Your Way Through Traumatic Loss: A Compassionate Guide to Emotional Coping and Healing

Bereavement and Grief, Health and Life Navigation Specialist

When trauma and grief collide after suicide, homicide, or sudden accidents, the pain can feel unbearable. This guide offers practical coping strategies, self-care techniques, and professional resources to help you navigate traumatic loss. Learn the difference between grief support options and discover pathways toward healing.

Supporting Your Loved One with Multiple Myeloma: A Guide to Compassionate Care From Diagnosis Through End-of-Life

Cancer, Caregiving Tips, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care, Terminal Illness, Tips and Tricks, Tips For Nurses

This comprehensive guide helps patients, families, and caregivers understand Multiple Myeloma diagnosis and staging, explore survival expectations, and navigate palliative and hospice care options. Discover practical caregiving strategies and when early palliative care can enhance quality of life.

When Dementia and Seizures Intersect: A Caregiver’s Guide to Recognition, Management, and Compassionate Care

Caregiving Tips, Dementia, Hospice, Palliative Care, Terminal Illness, Tips and Tricks

When someone you love has dementia, seizures may become part of their journey. Learn which types of dementia increase seizure risk, how to recognize and respond to seizures safely, when to call for emergency help, and which medications may affect seizure risk. This compassionate guide empowers caregivers with knowledge and confidence.

Building Confidence in Home Hospice: A Proven Path to Better Patient Care

Advocacy, Best Practice, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care, Symptom Management, Tips and Tricks, Tips For Nurses

Hospice providers have proven strategies to reduce symptom burden and boost satisfaction scores. Discover how combining nurse practitioner telehealth visits, educational videos, and end-of-life doula support transforms caregiver confidence and patient comfort in home-based care.

Beyond Medical Care: How End-of-Life Doulas Transform the Journey for Patients and Families

Advocacy, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Hospice, Palliative Care

End-of-life doulas offer untapped potential as compassionate partners in healthcare. These trained professionals complement hospice care by providing extended emotional and spiritual support, serving as life transition coaches long before hospice is needed—enhancing end-of-life experiences for families.

Understanding Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Compassionate Guide to Disease Progression, Symptom Management, and End-of-Life Care

Cancer, Caregiving Tips, Hospice, Palliative Care, Terminal Illness, Tips and Tricks, Tips For Nurses

Navigate the journey of acute myeloid leukemia with confidence. This comprehensive guide covers disease progression, comfort-focused symptom management, and practical palliative and hospice care timing advice.

Why Planning for Long-Term Care Today Protects Your Family’s Tomorrow: The Critical Role of Elder Law Attorneys and Health and Life Navigation Specialists

Advance Directives, Caregiving Tips, End-of-Life Doula, Ethical Dilemma, Ethics, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care, Tips and Tricks

A heartbreaking Facebook post reveals the devastating reality when families don't plan ahead for long-term care. Learn how Medicaid Asset Protection Trusts and working with life transition coaches years in advance can protect your home, savings, and dignity—and why the five-year lookback means you must act now.

Living Without Regret: What 300 Dying Patients Taught Us About What Truly Matters

Advance Directives, Advocacy, Death and Dying, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care

After 15 years and 300 final breaths, nurse Laura M. discovered seven profound truths about what truly matters in life. Her patients didn't fear dying—they feared not having really lived. Learn these life-changing lessons and discover how life transition coaches can help you live with fewer regrets and ensure your wishes are honored.

The Transformative Role of Death Doulas: Bridging Gaps in End-of-Life Care

Advocacy, Bereavement and Grief, Death and Dying, End of Life, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care

End-of-life doulas provide non-medical support that transforms dying experiences through education, emotional companionship, and advocacy. Learn how these trained professionals help patients and families navigate terminal illness with dignity, how healthcare providers can partner with doulas, and what to look for when selecting one.

Understanding Anticipatory Grief: How Loving Deeply Means Grieving Before Goodbye

Bereavement and Grief, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice, Palliative Care

Anticipatory grief is a normal, natural response to an expected loss that shows the depth of your love. This guide explains what anticipatory grief is, why it happens, how grief coaches and licensed counselors can help, and practical steps for families and caregivers to express feelings and find support during this difficult time.

Finding Peace in Loss: How End-of-Life Doulas and Health and Life Navigation Specialists Support Families Through Grief

Advocacy, Bereavement and Grief, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Health and Life Navigation Specialist, Hospice

Quality end-of-life care reduces complicated grief among families. Research shows that families who feel supported and witness dignified care experience fewer prolonged grief reactions. Learn how life transition coaches and end-of-life doulas provide essential emotional, spiritual, and practical support that bridges gaps in healthcare, helping families navigate loss with greater peace and understanding.

Finding Comfort Through Palliative Radiation: A Guide for Patients, Families, and Healthcare Providers

Advocacy, Cancer, Ethics, Hospice, Palliative Care, Symptom Management, Terminal Illness

Palliative radiation therapy offers targeted symptom relief for patients with advanced cancer, reducing pain, bleeding, and other distressing symptoms. This comprehensive guide empowers patients and families to understand treatment options, manage side effects, and make informed decisions that prioritize comfort and quality of life.

No One Has to Die Alone: How End-of-Life Doulas Provide Comfort and Companionship

Advocacy, End-of-Life Doula, Ethics, Hospice, Palliative Care

The fear of dying alone is growing as families live farther apart and more people age without close support networks. End-of-life doulas and life transition coaches offer a solution by providing continuous companionship, emotional support, and guidance throughout serious illness and the dying process.