There are currently 5.7 million Alzheimer's patients in the United States. All of these patients need caregivers, and half of all of the non-paid caregivers for all patients, are caring for an Alzheimer's patient.  Of these caregivers 1/3 of them are over 65 years old, and 67% of them are women. 

In this episode, we're talking about the high level of stress that's placed on a caregiver for an Alzheimer's patient.  There's a special toll that this disease takes on caregivers.  Learn more about things caregivers can do to lessen their stress, and delay burnout.  

We encourage you to visit our website at www.theheartofhospice.com, and also visit the Alzheimer's Association website at www.alz.org. 

June is Alzheimer's and Brain Awareness Month, and we want to share with you the best resource for anyone affected by Alzheimer's disease, whether you're a patient, a personal caregiver for someone with Alzheimer's, or a professional caregiver.  The Alzheimer's Association website is filled with information and resources that can help you learn more about the disease.  It also has ways for caregivers to connect with each other to build a strong support system.  

In this episode we share all of the many ways that ALZ.org can provide you with up to date information, and resources for those who provide care for Alzheimer's patients.  

To learn more, visit our website at www.theheartofhospice.com. 

At the Heart of Hospice we want to honor the hardest working members of the hospice care team: the nurse aides.  These men and women are the backbone of the hospice team, providing personal care to their patients every single day.  

The nurse aides provide the majority of the personal care for the hospice patients, and they see the patient and family more often than the other team members, too.  They provide post-mortem care as well.  This episode describes the care that nurse aides are able to provide for hospice patients.  

Say thank you to the nurse aides that you know, and tell them what a great work they perform.  

To learn more about hospice and the hospice team, visit our website at www.theheartofhospice.com.  Please leave us a rating or a review by following this link.  

When Edo Banach became the president and CEO of the National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) in 2017, he began touring the country and visiting with hospice providers so that he could learn from them what's good about hospice, and what needs to change. 

We had the privilege of spending some time with Edo, and listening to him share his thoughts on what hospice is doing right here in America, and what are some of the things that needs to change so that hospice can provide even better care for those with life-limiting illnesses.  

In this episode you will also hear about the unusual thing that Edo does for self care.  Be sure and listen all the way to the end of the episode. 

To learn more about NHPCO, simply visit their website.  They also have a podcast, hosted by our friend Jon Radulovic, with Jennifer Kennedy and Judi Lund Person providing information about hospice regulatory and compliance matters.  

Visit the Heart of Hospice website to read our weekly blog, and to discover resources about hospice, caregiving, self care, and advance care planning.  

NHPCO CEO & president, Edo Banach, shares his thoughts on changes that are ahead for the hospice industry.  This 1 minute preview is from the complete interview to be published on Friday, June 1. 

Like and follow us on Facebook and Twitter to be notified when the full interview is available.  The podcast is always available on Apple Podcast, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, iHeart Radio, and Google Play Music.  

We were recently introduced to a project that's sweeping city after city, all over the world.  It's an art project, started by Candy Chang in New Orleans, called Before I Die.

After the death of very close friend, Chang was pushed by her grief to create this project on the wall of a dilapidated building in New Orleans.  She painted the outside of the building with chalkboard paint and stenciled the words, "Before I Die I Want To _______," and let people share their wishes publicly.  

There are now over 4,000 Before I Die walls in over 75 countries and 36 languages.  To learn more about Before I Die, go to their website here.  

Please leave us a rating or review by following this link. Every review that's written helps others to find the podcast, and allows us to serve more and more people.  

"Let's have dinner, and talk about death."  That's the invitation that Death Over Dinner is offering to people so that they can talk about a very important subject: death.  

Helen & Jerry discuss the details of how Death Over Dinner helps to engage and empower people to talk about one of the most difficult conversations they need to have.  

To learn more, visit www.deathoverdinner.org, and be sure and check out our website at www.theheartofhospice.com for more information about hospice, caregiving, self care, and advance care planning.  

Please leave us a rating or a review by following this link.  Just a few minutes will help others find the Heart of Hospice.  

On this 5 for Friday episode we review a website called Modern Loss.  Modern Loss was started by 2 women, Gabrielle Birkner and Rebecca Soffer, after they had both experienced the loss of their parents.  Rebecca was 30, and Gabrielle was only 24 when the deaths occurred.  

The purpose of the website is to offer support and encouragement for anyone who may be experiencing grief and loss due to the death of a loved one.  You will find essays written by people who are familiar with grief, and resources to help with tasks like probating a will, or getting your loved one off social media.  Plus, it's a great way to connect with others who understand what it's like to grieve.  

To learn more, go to www.modernloss.com, or visit our website at www.theheartofhospice.com.  

Please leave us a rating or review by clicking on this link.  Just a few seconds of your time may help someone else find the HOH, and the resources we offer.  

May 6-12 is National Nurses Week here in the U.S. and The Heart of Hospice wants to honor all of the hard-working, dedicated, and compassionate nurses who work in hospice.  Hospice nurses have specialized training to provide quality care for those with life-limiting illnesses.  

In this episode, our resident hospice nurse, Helen Bauer, explains the daily activities of a hospice nurse.  Listen in, and learn more about what happens on a day to day basis for those who have chosen hospice care as a profession.  

Will you do us a big favor?  Go to this link, and leave us a rating and a review about the podcast.  It will help us improve the services we provide, and help others to find the HOH.  Thanks in advance.  

For more information about hospice, caregiving, self care, and advance care planning, check out our website at www.theheartofhospice.com.  

Kati Wettstein is a board certified music therapist, and has worked in hospice for over 6 years.  During that time she has experienced the joy of providing music for many patients, and she shares many of her stories of how music helped to transform the end of life journey for these patients. 

We had the opportunity to sit down with Kati to learn more about the power of music therapy to provide comfort and meaning for the hospice patient, and their family, too.  

To learn more, check our website at www.theheartofhospice.com.  Please follow this link to leave us a rating or a review.