Caring Community - Compendiums/Guides

A Caregiver's Challenge

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 15:04:44 -0800

Maryann Schacht, MSW, BCD, is an author, speaker, and workshop leader with more than 30 years experience working with families in crisis. Her book titled A Caregiver’s Challenge: Living, Loving, Letting Go offers a road map and survival guide to everyone who is suddenly thrust into a caregiver role. She combines her personal experience caring for her terminally ill husband with her professional expertise in this invaluable resource. A Caregiver’s Challenge offers support, resources, and useful exercises for caregivers and their patients.

Maryann is frequently interviewed on national radio about caregivers and comfort care issues and may be contacted at 707-537-9419.

A Framework For Thinking Ethically

Thu, 3 Nov 2005 09:26:07 -0800

A Framework For Thinking Ethically
Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University
This document is designed as an introduction to thinking ethically. We all have an image of our “better selves” - or of how we are when we act ethically or are “at our best.” We probably also have an image of what an ethical community, an ethical business, or an ethical government is - and maybe even an ethical society as a whole. Ethics really has to do with all three levels - acting ethically as individuals, creating ethical organizations and governments, and making our society as a whole ethical in the way it treats all.

Americans for Better Care of the Dying

Tue, 5 Apr 2011 21:35:46 -0700

Americans for Better Care of the Dying goals are to: build momentum for reform; explore new methods and systems for delivering care; and shape public policy through evidence-based understanding.

Every dying person needs to be able to count on excellent care. Americans for Better Care of the Dying (ABCD) aims to improve end-of-life care by learning which social and political changes will lead to enduring, efficient, and effective programs. ABCD works with the public, clinicians, policymakers, and other end-of-life organizations to make change happen.

ABCD President Joanne Lynn, MD is one of the foremost national leaders in this movement and the author of Handbook for Mortals: Guidance for People Facing Serious Illness; and Improving Care for the End of Life.

And Thou Shalt Honor

Fri, 1 Oct 2004 21:35:08 -0700

Resources associated with the PBS programs.

Bill Moyer's On Our Own Terms Series

Fri, 10 Sep 2004 10:41:00 -0700

There is a great divide separating the kind of care Americans say they want at the end of life and what our culture currently provides. Surveys show that we want to die at home, free of pain, surrounded by the people we love. But the vast majority of us die in the hospital, alone, and experiencing unnecessary discomfort. Bill Moyers goes from the bedsides of the dying to the front lines of a movement to improve end-of-life care in ON OUR OWN TERMS: Moyers on Dying. Two years in production, this four-part, six-hour series crosses the country from hospitals to hospices to homes to capture some of the most intimate stories ever filmed and the most candid conversations ever shared with a television audience.

Caring Resources Guide

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 18:22:59 -0800

Caring Resources Guide (by the Compassionate Care Alliance of Monterey County) provides links to what may be among the best articles on the web or websites that discuss the many issues about serious illness, caregiving, end-of-life, and grief recovery. Includes information about diagnosis and prognosis, learning how to cope, disease management, and so much more as "A Gateway to Informatioin, Care Choices and Planning."

Center for Practical Bioethics Resource Links

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:39:35 -0800

The Center for Practical Bioethics offers a variety of publications, video and audiotapes designed to enhance ethics education and promote discussion of ethics issues. Links are provided for free material and for items to purchase via their online store.

Children's Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition

Thu, 2 Feb 2012 11:06:25 -0800

Children's Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition of California is a group of organizations, institutions and individuals from throughout the State of California working together to promote compassionate medical care which includes spiritual, emotional and financial support for children with life-threatening illnesses. ...because when a child has a serious illness, medicine is not enough...

Chinese American Coalition for Compassionate Care

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 13:43:46 -0800

The Chinese American Coalition for Compassionate Care, the only organization in the nation devoted to end-of-life concerns in the Chinese community, is an active working coalition of over 80 organizations and a total of almost 1300 individuals.

The CACCC was formed in December 2005 to address the lack of linguistically and culturally appropriate end-of-life information and training available to the Chinese community and those who serve it. The CACCC incorporated in 2007, and achieved 501c3 tax-exempt status in the same year. A Board of Directors - 15 dedicated volunteers - sets policy for the organization. It uses the facilities of its member organizations for trainings and meetings. The coalition’s focus is helping Chinese Americans with advance care planning, assisting with palliative care and pain management, providing respite and hospice volunteer training, targeting education for members of the Chinese-American community, and meeting the critical need of educating health care professionals who serve Chinese Americans.

City of Hope/ Pain and Palliative Care Resource Center

Thu, 9 Sep 2004 21:32:31 -0700

A well-indexed comprehensive site on all related topics. Palliative Care section includes recommended books with order info, Guidelines/Clinical Practices, Educational Material/Curriculum, and Excellent Organization Links.

Coda Alliance

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:46:47 -0800

The Coda Alliance is a collaborative in Silicon Valley that share the goal to implement social change in end-of-life care. Their mission is to provide practical skills and tools to plan and receive care wanted at the end of life. They publish the "Go Wish" cards in English and Spanish for assisting with advance care planning and thinking about end of life wishes.

Completing A Life

Wed, 1 Sep 2004 12:08:30 -0700

An interactive CD-ROM and Web Site inviting patients and families to learn about the practical, emotional, spiritual and medical issues faced by those dealing with advanced illness.

Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care

Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:25:17 -0800

For more than 20 years, the Dartmouth Atlas Project has documented glaring variations in how medical resources are distributed and used in the United States. The project uses Medicare data to provide information and analysis about national, regional, and local markets, as well as hospitals and their affiliated physicians. This research has helped policymakers, the media, health care analysts and others improve their understanding of our health care system and forms the foundation for many of the ongoing efforts to improve health and health systems across America.

Educating Physicians in End of Life Care

Sat, 11 Sep 2004 07:48:36 -0700

The EPEC training is easily accessible on line or to bring into the community as a credentialed workshop program. The EPEC mission is to educate all healthcare professionals on the essential clinical competencies in palliative care. The EOLCA co-sponsored an EPEC training for the Sonoma County region in 2001 and 2003 with more than 100 physicians and many other health care professionals taking the two day in-depth training. All EPEC materials including CD Rom, Trainors Manual and Plenary video tapes are available in the Journey Project Resource Center for review.

Families helping Families

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 19:32:02 -0800

The Jenna Druck Center's Families Helping Families program provides services for those seeking emotional support, information and guidance in the painfully difficult hours, weeks, months, and years following a loss. Our Virtual Healing Community now provides these same services using the power of the Internet. Links are provided to browse the on-line community as a guest, or register as a user which enables you to create a Memorial Page to honor a loved one and participate in on-line discussions of relevent topics. Grief resources are provided.