Category Archives: Family

Taking Responsibility for Death

Posted on March 31, 2012 by dgermann

Friends– “Is there anything you can do here to give me back the life I had last year, when I wasn’t in pain every minute?” Here is an excellent article in the New York Times about an 89 year old … Continue reading →

Posted in Conversation, Death and living while dying, Emergency/Crisis Medical, Family, News | Leave a comment

This infinite game

Posted on March 29, 2012 by dgermann

Elder Caring Law for me is about playing an infinite game with my clients, the infinite game of life and the purpose is to keep on playing it. :- Doug.

Posted in Aging, Caring, Conversation, Eldering, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

The bigger job of Wills?

Posted on March 25, 2012 by dgermann

What is the bigger job of Wills, Estates, and Powers of Attorney, if not loving well? :- Doug.

Posted in Caring, Estates: Administration & Probate, Family, Powers of Attorney, Wills | Leave a comment

We cannot cure death

Posted on March 24, 2012 by dgermann

We cannot cure death Yet we act as though we could Or as if we wished we could Yet if we see death not as end But as a chapter We might write it well Live it artfully :- Doug.

Posted in Death and living while dying, Eldering, Emergency/Crisis Medical, Family, Healing and Wholeness, Poetry | Leave a comment

Imagine conversing with your family….

Posted on March 23, 2012 by dgermann

Imagine conversing with your family about the things brought up in considering your final chapter. Think of the specific people you’d want to talk with. Who would be easiest to talk with? Where would you be? How would you start? … Continue reading →

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Families think together

Posted on March 17, 2012 by dgermann

Let’s help our family think together about ways to live more fully as family. Nursing homes are not storage bins; long-term care is not all or even mostly about money and disease: these are places people live, and we can … Continue reading →

Posted in Caring, Conversation, Family, Healing and Wholeness, Long-Term Care and nursing homes | Leave a comment

Deeper with Alzheimer’s

Posted on March 15, 2012 by dgermann

How do we get to the deeper with a elder, say in an Alzheimer’s setting? What do they love, what did they love, what would make them more comfortable? Brandy on the gums, a grandchild’s hug, a song to sing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Caring, Conversation, Eldering, Family, Healing and Wholeness, Long-Term Care and nursing homes | Leave a comment

Things to consider with my family:

Posted on March 14, 2012 by dgermann

Things to consider with my family: • Whom do I have to hug? Whom do I have to call? Take a break now and call them. Tell them you love them; tell them you want to talk about these things … Continue reading →

Posted in Conversation, Death and living while dying, Emergency/Crisis Medical, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

Play in late stages

Posted on March 12, 2012 by dgermann

Friend Bernie DeKoven has this wonderful post about play and Alzheimer’s folks: http://www.deepfun.com/fun/2012/03/play-in-late-stages/ You will be glad you took a look…. :- Doug.

Posted in Caring, Family, Healing and Wholeness, Long-Term Care and nursing homes | Leave a comment

bigger work for doctor, lawyer

Posted on March 11, 2012 by dgermann

There is a bigger work for the doctor here. And for the lawyer. Beyond being a good technician. You in your role and I in mine can meet people and support them in what has meaning for them. We can … Continue reading →

Posted in Conversation, Death and living while dying, Eldering, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

Much bigger than medical treatment

Posted on March 10, 2012 by dgermann

The end of life conversation is much bigger than medical treatment. It has to do with coming together and with people doing the work of dying and with people doing the work of living. The medical has to do with … Continue reading →

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Healthcare as easily changed as….

Posted on March 9, 2012 by dgermann

Seems to me that the word “care” has been taken over by the marketing people and the politicians, so that it now has a commercial character to it. My guess is that the doctors and nurses practicing in the 1950s … Continue reading →

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Your last 3 days?

Posted on March 8, 2012 by dgermann

How would you like to live at the end of life? Your last 3 days? :- Doug.

Posted in Caring, Conversation, Death and living while dying, Eldering, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

Two end of life conversations:

Posted on March 7, 2012 by dgermann

There are two end of life conversations. One is the kind of conversation we have at various times while we are thinking of our end of life: do this for me, avoid doing that if you can. The second is … Continue reading →

Posted in Caring, Conversation, Death and living while dying, Eldering, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

How I want to live before I die

Posted on March 6, 2012 by dgermann

Here is how I want to live before I die. And if I want to live this way, shall we now? :- Doug.

Posted in Death and living while dying, Dreams, Emergency/Crisis Medical, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

Betrayed by the doctor?

Posted on March 4, 2012 by dgermann

We feel betrayed by the doctor when we are told there is no more to be done to hold back the disease. But our anger stems not from the doctor, rather our culture which tells us we can buy our … Continue reading →

Posted in Caring, Death and living while dying, Emergency/Crisis Medical, Family, Healing and Wholeness | Leave a comment

The inviting

Posted on February 26, 2012 by dgermann

The inviting lawyer Inviting family, friends Those who care Young with old Sister with brother Husband with wife Heart with head Finding our common ground Our common human humus Finding our common heart This kind of Inviting lawyer I work … Continue reading →

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