Tag Archives: hospice care

Groundbreaking New Book Transforms the Death Process for Terminally Ill, Families

ASHEVILLE, N.C. /ScoopCloud/ -- Individuals who are living with a terminal illness and the people who love them can now deeply transform their shared experience of the dying process, thanks to a new book released today by author Melody LeBaron, "Transforming Death: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying" (ISBN: 978-1733477123).

"Transforming Death: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying," breaks new ground as the only book in its genre which explores how to partner with the environment to support the deep, transformative process of dying. The book is available for purchase on Amazon in Kindle and paperback formats.

"Now is the time to bring death back into its place in the circle of life," she says. "Cultivating a sense of presence through the creation of sacred space helps to shape that experience."

LeBaron wrote "Transforming Death: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying" for each person who will someday die, for those who seek a more conscious death, and for the caregivers of persons living with a terminal diagnosis.

"Each dying person needs a team," she says. "Ideally, there is more than one caregiver, so responsibilities are shared, community is strengthened, and no one gets depleted."

The work is grounded, foremost, in LeBaron's first-hand experience of the death of her mother in 1990, followed by the loss of her younger sister in 1995, and her 17-year-old son, Logan, in 1997. The difficulty and rewards of these challenges served as an initiation into what she now calls "the death mysteries."

"'Transforming Death,' is the book I needed all those years ago," she says. "A book for preparing ourselves and those we love for a natural, conscious process of death and dying."

Much as one might read parenting books before the birth of a new baby, she had hoped to prepare for the arduous journey ahead. However, in the 1990s, there was only one book on death and dying, Elizabeth Kubler-Ross' groundbreaking 1969 work, "On Death and Dying."

"Life will guide you where it wants you to go," she says. "When I face something hard, I try to deliberately work through my denial and prepare for it."

Fortunately, she found a like-minded mentor in the late Sharon Turnball, Tennessee's first female funeral director. Turnball suggested she perform a beautiful ritual - that of preparing her mother's body for burial. That experience and insights would change LeBaron's life and work forever.

"We need to partner with death instead of resisting it," she says.

At this time, the pervasive presence of death seems an indelible part of our world's overculture, LeBaron notes.

Each of us must develop the ability to find meaning and healing in the face of death as a pandemic spreads and 20th century structures crumble. We mark the demise of American culture with the passing of family members, friends, and idols of bygone days.

"There's a collective dying and grieving process as we come to understand what is in the present, versus what once was in the past," she says. "For those who are aware of what's happening in the world today, and struggling to understand and stay uplifted, this book will help them, too."

About the Author

Author Melody LeBaron has been called to midwife the dying for more than 30 years. She works with the dying and their caregivers to create an optimal conscious death experience, catalyze the difficult emotions evoked through grief, and claim the gifts of the grieving process. Melody also facilitates a leadership process for women, and coaches clients through the process of transforming their homes and workspaces, their relationships and their lives. For more information, visit https://www.transformingspace.com/.

BOOK SUMMARY:
"Transforming Death: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying"
By Melody LeBaron
Published by Melody LeBaron.
July 14, 2020
$9.97/Kindle
264 pages
ISBN: 978-1-7334771-1-6 (e-book)
July 14, 2020
$19.97/paperback
264 pages
ISBN: 978-1-7334771-2-3 (paperback)
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 2020911008

Available on Amazon at: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08F4C114P

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/vjm4sYKIV3M

IMAGE links for media:
[1] https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0805s2p-transforming-death-300dpi.jpg
[2] https://www.Send2Press.com/300dpi/20-0805s2p-melody-lebaron-300dpi.jpg

Individuals who are living with a terminal illness and the people who love them can now deeply transform their shared experience of the dying process, thanks to a new book released today by author Melody LeBaron, "Transforming Death: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying" (ISBN: 978-1733477123).

Related link: https://www.transformingspace.com/

Integrity Home Care and Hospice Exceeds National Averages for Patient and Family Experience

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. /ScoopCloud/ -- Integrity Home Care and Hospice exceeded the national and regional averages in each of six areas of distinction for patient and family experience, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMMS).

The welcome announcement comes as Integrity finalizes its Nov. 1 agreement with Mercy Health System to assume leadership of its home-based post-acute care services. The much-anticipated closure comes after months developing the high-value partnership which will integrate Integrity's leading home care and hospice services with Mercy's top-ranked hospital and clinic services throughout southwest Missouri and southeast Kansas.

Integrity Home Care and Hospice is a faith-based, privately held leader in quality, post-acute health care. Committed to quality patient and family experiences wherever people call home, the healthcare provider offers a comprehensive range of compassionate, client-centered home care, hospice, and home health rehabilitation services throughout Missouri.

Provider partners include forward-thinking regional providers, like Mercy Health System, to meet the needs of patients who wish to remain in their home during times of serious, life altering illness or at end of life, wherever they call home.

"We don't provide care just to check a box," says Cliff Stepp, president of Integrity Home Care and Hospice. "What matters most is the commitment to compassionate quality care at the core of every decision we make."

Integrity exceeded the national and Springfield-based regional providers overall by more than 2 percent, according to survey results. Additionally, 84 percent of respondents were willing to recommend Integrity to others.

The data set includes experiential feedback from family caregivers in the areas of communications with family, receiving timely help, treating patient with respect, emotional and spiritual support, pain and symptom management, and training family caregivers.

Released in October, the Hospice Compare reports provide transparency of care quality amongst healthcare providers.

About Integrity Home Care and Hospice:

Integrity Home Care and Hospice - https://www.integrityhc.com/ - is a faith-based, privately held leader in quality, post-acute health care in Missouri and Kansas. Integrity offers a comprehensive range of compassionate, client-centered home care, hospice, and home health rehabilitation services. We partner with forward-thinking regional providers to ensure the future of health care resides at home.

Integrity Home Care and Hospice exceeded the national and regional averages in each of six areas of distinction for patient and family experience, according to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMMS).

Related link: https://www.integrityhc.com/

Ashley Albers Named Hospice Medical Director of Four Seasons

FLAT ROCK, N.C., March 23, 2016 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) -- Four Seasons Compassion for Life announces the promotion of Ashley Albers, D.O., to the position of hospice medical director.

Albers holds a 2009 doctorate in osteopathic medicine from the A.T. Still University of Health Sciences, and a 2004 bachelor of science in chemistry and mathematics. After a three year residency in internal medicine in the University of Medicine and Dentistry at the New Jersey School of Osteopathic Medicine from 2009-12, she received a Mountain Area Health Education Center, or MAHEC, Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship, Asheville, in 2012-13.

"During my residency in internal care, I observed a lot of interventions within the intensive care unit that made me wonder what people really wanted for their time at end of life," she says.

Her interest in serving patient needs at end of life deepened, and led her to Four Seasons Compassion for Life, where she accepted a position as a palliative care physician in 2013, followed by a promotion to assistant medical director in 2014. She was certified as a hospice medical director in 2015 and completed a year-long mentorship with Chief Medical Officer Janet Bull, prior to promotion to hospice medical director.

"Dr. Albers has done a magnificent job," says Bull. "She has demonstrated astute clinical skills and possesses a great understanding of the regulations of the Hospice Medicare Benefit."

As hospice medical director, Albers oversees the certification of eligibility of hospice patients to receive Medicare benefits as part of day-to-day operations.

Though others may remark upon her rapid rise within the organization, she describes a combination of factors: a willingness to acquire relevant experience and training, timing, and the emergent need to facilitate changes on the palliative care team which required a greater commitment from its members.

"She is a great team player, and continues to aspire to improving care for the patients and families we serve," says Bull.

As the region's population ages, Albers remains inspired by the opportunity to reach increasing numbers of physicians and health care workers.

"A lot of people who could benefit from our services aren't receiving those yet," she says. "I'd like to be part of helping other medical practitioners do this work."

Four Seasons is a non-profit hospice and palliative care organization led by a dedicated team of health care professionals, social workers, spiritual care professionals and volunteers. Four Seasons currently serves patients in Henderson, Buncombe, Macon, Jackson, Transylvania and surrounding counties.

For information on Four Seasons, visit http://www.fourseasonscfl.org.

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Twitter: @fscfl #caregivers #hospicecare

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NEWS SOURCE Four Seasons Compassion For Life :: This press release was issued on behalf of the news source (who is solely responsible for its accuracy) by and Copr. © 2016 Send2Press® Newswire, a service of Neotrope®.