Talking Things Over

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
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.

Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO), is a national consumer engagement initiative to improve care at the end of life, supported by a grant from The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Caring Connections
-Provides free resources, information and motivation for actively learning about end-of-life resources.
-Promotes awareness of and engagement in efforts to increase access to quality end-of-life care.
-Helps people connect with the resources they need, when they need them.
-Brings together community, state and national partners working to improve end-of-life care.

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.

Case studies provide a way for us to analyze and think-through difficult medical and moral situations. This Center for Practical Bioethics webpage links you to stories that will challenge you to think clearly as you consider options at the crossroads of decision.

Christel Lukoff, MSW, Ph.D.
707- 763-3504
Petaluma, CA

Psychotherapist and hospice social worker Christel Lukoff
shares traditional folktales that metaphorically express
many of the feelings and issues encountered in grief. The
stories remind us of the healing power of memories and of
ways to find an ongoing relationship with a loved one who
has died. Christel’s commentaries deepen and transform our
understanding of grief and remind us how love and loss are
interwoven. To order CDs from Christel or to schedule a
storytelling presentation, contact Christel.

Circus of Cancer-Breast Cancer Support
A how-to site to help you step right up when a friend has breast cancer. From the heart info includes: Upon first hearing the news; boosting her spirits, helping her family, supporting chemo treatments, talking to your friend, for her husband or other partner, great sites for small gifts, pink ribbons. Kelly Corrigan, initiator Circus of Cancer, first diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in August 2004, and Nan Davenport, designer who together with Kelly has made educational software for kids and teachers since 1999.