Episodes

  • When Professional Grief Becomes Personal: A Conversation with Barbara Karnes

    When Professional Grief Becomes Personal: A Conversation with Barbara Karnes
    Nov 25 2024
    In this final episode of our special 4 part series, Hospice Educator Barbara Karnes shares the personal story of her husband’s end of life journey and death. She opens up about all the emotions she experienced as she and her family supported Jack Karnes after his diagnosis with a terminal illness. Jack died four months after he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Barbara and Jack had been married for 61 years at the time of his death. After working over 40 years in end of life care, Barbara experienced all the aspects of interdisciplinary hospice care, death, and grief in her personal life. We’re grateful for Barbara’s generosity and vulnerability in telling her story. After all the years she has spent educating hospice workers and end of life caregivers, she’s still teaching us. We’d like to thank Lisa Pahl, founder of The Death Death and End of Life, for sponsoring this special series in honor of National Family Caregivers Month and National Hospice and Palliative Care Month (National Home Care Month). Here’s are some details of what Barbara shares in this touching interview: What the process of a hospice admission is truly likeThe impact of staffing changes on the trust bond with a caregiverLearning to live as a “me” after living as a “we” after 60 years of marriageThe many emotions she experienced when Jack was terminally illThe music she wants to be part of her advance care plan Connect with Barbara Karnes: Website: bkbooks.com Blog: bkbooks.com Shop her products: bkbooks.com Socials: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest YouTube Email: barbara@bkbooks.com Thank you to our series sponsor The Death Deck! Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck: Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/ Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X) Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com. Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    45 mins
  • Caregiver Creates Legacy of Love After Loss

    Caregiver Creates Legacy of Love After Loss
    Nov 22 2024

    Susan Combs will tell you she had a great dad. Her caregiving experience at the end of his life inspired her to give back to the veteran community. Susan’s dad Major General Roger E. Combs was a huge influence on her life. Roger battled with throat cancer related to Agent Orange for ten years, eventually dealing with a feeding tube toward the end of his life. A simple act - his request to eat pancakes - launched a non-profit organization that supports military veterans.

    Susan is the president of Combs and Company, based in New York City. Her movement Pancakes for Roger occurs every February. For every pancake-loving picture posted on social media post using the hashtag #PancakesForRoger, Combs & Company will make a donation to the University of Missouri School of Law Veterans Clinic which helps veterans and their families navigate the VA claims process and secure disability benefits when they are faced with obstacles along the way.

    Here’s some advice Susan gives to other end of life caregivers:

    • Do one thing every day for yourself
    • Bring in your “crew”, those friends who can support you
    • Have the advance care plan conversations, even though it’s difficult

    Connect with Susan Combs and Pancakes for Roger:

    Website: pancakesforroger.org

    Book: Pancakes for Roger

    Social media: Instagram Facebook Twitter (X) YouTube

    Honor your veteran on their Wall of Honor:

    Interested in purchasing a GrandPad to stay connected with a senior loved one?

    Get more information at https://www.grandpad.net/thoh.

    GrandPad website: https://www.grandpad.net/

    Social Media for GrandPad

    https://facebook.com/grandpad

    https://instagram.com/grandpad_social/

    https://www.linkedin.com/company/grandpad

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFAJCb7_tTneM_ikABq08Q

    Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

    Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

    Website: theheartofhospice.com

    Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com

    More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    52 mins
  • Learning How to Say the Last Goodbye with Barbara Karnes

    Learning How to Say the Last Goodbye with Barbara Karnes
    Nov 18 2024

    After a 40 year hospice career, Barbara Karnes knows a thing or two about end of life care. Today’s special episode is part 3 of our 4 part series in honor of National Family Caregivers Month and National Hospice and Palliative Care Month. Barbara calls her introduction to working with the dying “divine intervention” that occurred because of a random connection with a hospice worker. She spent five years working at the bedside, eventually moving into administrative positions and management. As a hospice educator, she supports family caregivers and end of life workers alike.

    Highlights from Barbara’s interview include:

    • A snapshot of Barbara’s advance care plan and why she thinks goodbyes are important
    • Her recognition of how hard it was to balance work life and family life as a young mother
    • How Barbara sees hospice work as a privilege

    Connect with Barbara Karnes:

    Website: bkbooks.com

    Blog: bkbooks.com

    Shop her products: bkbooks.com

    Socials: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest YouTube

    Email: barbara@bkbooks.com

    Thank you to our series sponsor The Death Deck!

    Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck:

    Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/

    Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck

    Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X)

    Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

    Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

    Website: theheartofhospice.com

    Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com

    More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    41 mins
  • This Innovative Product Is Helping Us Do Death Care Better

    This Innovative Product Is Helping Us Do Death Care Better
    Nov 15 2024
    Cuddle Cots and Cuddle Blankets allow families to spend more time with a loved one after a death, providing an opportunity for end of life workers to do death care better. Danielle Franck of Flexmort shares her personal experience with a Cuddle Cot in this interview. *Warning - This episode contains a description of the loss of a stillborn infant. It may not be for all listeners. Please take care of yourself. Danielle is the Business Development Executive of the US at Flexmort, a company that designs and manufactures flexible mortuary solutions for the storage and cooling of a body after death occurs. She is passionate about fostering open discussions around death and loss. Danielle’s personal story is a testimonial to the benefits of utilizing a Cuddle Cot. Cuddle Cots and Cuddle Blankets keep a body cool after death, enabling families to spend additional time with a loved one. That extra time creates space for meaningful goodbyes, rituals, and post mortem care that supports a healthy grieving process. The Cuddle Blankets are portable and can be used when a home funeral is planned. It’s also a great tool to use when there’s a plan for human composting or aquamation, and eliminates the need for dry ice when a family doesn’t want embalming. A personal quilt or blanket can be placed on top of the Cuddle Blanket to create a personal touch. Connect with Flexmort: https://cuddlecot.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/flexmort/ https://www.instagram.com/cuddlecot_/ https://www.facebook.com/CuddleCotTM Thank you to our series sponsor The Death Deck! Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck: Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/ Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X) Interested in purchasing a GrandPad to stay connected with a senior loved one? Get more information at https://www.grandpad.net/thoh. GrandPad website: https://www.grandpad.net/ Social Media for GrandPad https://facebook.com/grandpad https://instagram.com/grandpad_social/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/grandpad https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCuFAJCb7_tTneM_ikABq08Q Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com. Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    40 mins
  • The Rich History of Hospice: How We Got Here

    The Rich History of Hospice: How We Got Here
    Nov 11 2024

    In episode two of our special four part series, hospice icon Barbara Karnes shares what it was like working in hospice in the early days, before there was a model for working with the dying. Barbara has worked in end of life care for over 40 years, educating and supporting end of life workers and family caregivers alike. In this conversation, we talk about what hospice work was like early in her career.

    Here are some highlights from this episode:

    • Barbara shares how they cared for patients, learning how people die and the best ways to care for them.
    • Barbara talks about how other disciplines came to be integrated into the care of patients, and how they learned to collaborate as an interdisciplinary team.
    • We talk about the myths surrounding hospice that have persisted through the years, and still remain in people’s minds today.

    Connect with Barbara Karnes:

    Website: bkbooks.com

    Blog: bkbooks.com

    Shop her products: bkbooks.com

    Socials: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest YouTube

    Email: barbara@bkbooks.com

    Thank you to our series sponsor The Death Deck!

    Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck:

    Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/

    Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck

    Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X)

    Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

    Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

    Website: theheartofhospice.com

    Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com

    More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    43 mins
  • How to Organize Your Life to Make Death Easier

    How to Organize Your Life to Make Death Easier
    Nov 8 2024
    When his dad died, Adam Zuckerman created a highly organized kit for managing his estate. As founder of Buried in Work, he helps people get their end-of-life preparation in place. Adam’s family learned the ins and outs of hospice as they supported his dad at the end of his battle with leukemia. Although their time using hospice care was short, Adam saw the benefits of end of life care first hand. Adam's mission is to empower individuals of all ages to navigate the intricacies of estate planning with confidence and ease. Through Buried in Work, he seeks to revolutionize the way people approach end-of-life preparations, ensuring that everyone has access to the resources they need to secure their legacy and protect their loved ones. Check out the CLEAR Kit from Buried in Work here. Connect with Adam Zuckerman and Buried in Work: Website: buriedinwork.com Email: press@BuriedinWork.com Social Media: Facebook IG LinkedIn Twitter (X) YouTube TikTok Podcast: Buried in Work Podcast Find all the resources from Buried in Work: BIW Resources Order your CLEAR Kit today (Comprehensive Legacy & Estate Administration Repository Kit): CLEAR Kit Purchase the One More Story card deck: One More Story Purchase the Nothing Left Unsaid card deck: Nothing Left Unsaid Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck: Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/ Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X) Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com. Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer Website: theheartofhospice.com Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    50 mins
  • Starting Out in the End: Talking With Barbara Karnes

    Starting Out in the End: Talking With Barbara Karnes
    Nov 4 2024

    In honor of National Hospice and Palliative Care Month - and National Family Caregivers Month - we’re featuring a special 4-part series with special guest Barbara Karnes, Hospice Nurse and End of Life Educator. In the first episode of the series, Barbara shares how she got started in end of life care back before the Medicare hospice benefit was established in the 1980’s.

    Here are some highlights of this special episode:

    • Barbara thinks she should have been a social worker but her mother talked her into nursing.
    • She and her fellow hospice nurses learned how to provide their own self care without really knowing what it was.
    • Barbara’s aversion to causing patients any pain or suffering made patient care difficult for her.
    • She believes it’s important for hospice leadership to truly understand end of life work, and to have a comprehensive knowledge of hospice care.
    • Barbara believes sacred rituals and beautiful memories can be created at the time of death.

    Connect with Barbara Karnes:

    Website: bkbooks.com

    Blog: bkbooks.com

    Shop her products: bkbooks.com

    Socials: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn Twitter Pinterest YouTube

    Email: barbara@bkbooks.com

    Thank you to our series sponsor The Death Deck!

    Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck:

    Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/

    Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck

    Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X)

    Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

    Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

    Website: theheartofhospice.com

    Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com

    More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    45 mins
  • How to Improve Death Literacy in a Community

    How to Improve Death Literacy in a Community
    Nov 1 2024

    Death educator Lee Warren believes preparing for death in advance makes a good death possible.

    Over a period of two years, she experienced several deaths in her small community of 125 people, teaching her the best lessons about death as she cared for them.

    Those deaths, and the generous people who experienced them, offered an incredible opportunity for Lee to reweave a more holistic approach to end-of-life than the one generally offered to us in the U.S. The outcome of stewarding those deaths together as a community, including after-death care, home funerals, and home burials, was life changing and heart opening for Lee. She has channeled the wisdom she learned into work as a Death Educator and End-of-Life Preparation Guide.

    Connect with Death Educator and End-of-Life Preparation Guide Lee Warren

    Website: queenofdeath.org/course reclaimingwisdom.com/about

    Email: lee@reclaimingwisdom.com

    Socials for Lee Warren: Facebook IG

    Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck

    Website: thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/

    Shop: End of Life Deck Death Deck

    Socials for the Death Deck: Facebook IG Twitter (X)

    Hospice Navigation Services is here for you. If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.

    Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

    Website: theheartofhospice.com

    Email: helen@theheartofhospice.com

    More podcast episodes: The Heart of Hospice Podcast
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    46 mins