The End of Life Advisor: Personal, Legal, and Medical Considerations for a Peaceful, Dignified Death - Paperback

by Susan R. Dolan Jd (Author), Audrey R. Vizzard Edd (Author), Audrey R. Vizzard Edd (Joint Author)

In this simple guide, you'll find both practical step-by-step advice and compassionate, heartfelt guidance to dramatically improve the last days of life. Written by a mother-daughter team of hospice professionals with experience in nursing, law and psychology, The End-of-Life Advisor will show you the remarkable benefits of hospice care. If you're a healthcare or legal professional, you'll discover the important ways you can advise your patients and clients. If you're caring for a loved one, you'll learn how you can help make their last days much more comfortable. If you're planning for yourself, you'll understand the decisions you need to make now -- so you can find greater peace down the road. You'll get basic practical information on the ways a person can make their wishes known and maintain control over their end-of-life experience. This includes living wills, power of attorney for healthcare, Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders, choosing hospice care, managing pain, increasing comfort, and making after-death plans. You'll also discover caring and compassionate guidance to find or lend emotional support in this difficult time. You'll recognize the importance of the conversation -- the process through which each person's end-of-life wishes are communicated to family members and friends -- and you'll see how you can help facilitate this process in your role as a doctor, nurse, lawyer, friend, or family member. Along the way, you'll find inspirational, emotional, and often humorous stories of positive end-of-life experiences -- where pain and fear were replaced with comfort and peace.

Author Biography

Susan Riker Dolan, RN, JD, is a registered nurse and attorney. Susan practiced healthcare and corporate law. She is the executive director of Angels Grace Hospice in Bolingbrook, Illinois. Audrey Riker Vizzard, RN, EdD, is a registered nurse and clinical psychologist. She is a former adjunct professor of psychology at Purdue University and the author of many books and articles. She served as a hospice volunteer and currently serves as the director of her family foundation.