Handbook for mortals : guidance for people facing serious illness / Joanne Lynn, Joan Harrold, Janice Lynch Schuster.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Lynn, Joanne, 1951- author.

Harrold, Joan K., author.

Schuster, Janice Lynch, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Catastrophic illness--Popular works.

Catastrophic illness.

Terminally ill--Popular works.

Terminally ill.

Death--Popular works.

Death.

Terminal care--Popular works.

Terminal care.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (317 p.)

Edition:

Second edition.

Place of Publication:

New York, New York : Oxford University Press, 2011.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Handbook for Mortals is warmly addressed to all those who wish to approach the final years of life with greater awareness of what to expect and greater confidence about how to make the end of their lives a time of growth, comfort, and meaningful reflection. Written by Dr. Joanne Lynn and a team of experts, this book provides equal measures of practical information and wise counsel, from down-to-earth advice on how to talk to your doctor to inspiring quotes from such writers as Emily Dickinson, W. H. Auden, Jane Kenyon, and others.

Contents:

Finding your way to finding meaningChaplains and others who can help; 4. Helping Family Make Decisions and Give Care; Families deciding together; Family caregiving; How can a caregiver know whether things are out of control?; What to do when the caregiver is overwhelmed; How does a caregiver find support groups?; Is it possible to help from a distance?; Is there anything good about caregiving?; 5. Getting the Help You Need; How to find help and advice; Getting the help of a care manager; Getting your wishes followed at home; When you have help in your home

What to do when things don't go wellMistreatment: what to do if anyone suspects mistreatment or neglect; A guide to settings and services; Getting the help you need; 6. Talking with Your Doctor; Know what you should expect from your doctor (or physician's assistant or nurse practitioner); Getting the most out of each visit with your doctor; Talking with your doctor-special situations; When you are hesitant to ask questions; Doctors and hope; 7. Controlling Pain; Types of pain; Choosing the right pain medicine; Different ways to take pain medicine; Doses of pain medicine

A few rules about pain managementHow often to take pain medicine; Fear of addiction; Side effects of pain medications; More medications that relieve pain; 8. Managing Other Symptoms; ""I feel very short of breath, as if I just can't breathe""; ""I just can't eat""; ""What are bed sores and how can I prevent them?""; ""I want to stay awake; there's so much yet to do""; ""Sometimes I just don't feel like doing anything""; ""I'm just so anxious about things. Sometimes I even feel panicked.""; ""Should I be worried about getting confused or just being 'out of it'?""

Are there forms my doctor needs to complete?

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-19-983072-X

OCLC:

960165950