Our next meeting agenda will include a showing of a wonderfully informative 55-minute documentary film by Barbara Karnes called New Rules for End of Life Care. We showed this video three years ago at one of our first meetings, but perhaps more people are interested in the topic this time around. In any case, the information is invaluable to hear again.
Barbara Karnes has been involved with the American hospice movement since its inception decades ago, and her many years of service as a hospice nurse have informed her deep and compassionate understanding of what happens in the body and spirit when people die. The information she shares can inform us about how we, as friends, relatives, and caretakers, can offer presence and support to loved ones who are dying.
I have noticed lately that the topic of end-of-life care is becoming more acceptable in our current culture. Death is beginning to be regarded as a natural phenomenon, just as birth is. Barbara reminds us that the body knows how to die, and there is a predictable sequence of events that we will all pass through as the physical body dies. When we are informed about what to expect, we can relax a bit and be less afraid of this natural letting-go process.
In the Circle of Friends, we have begun to gather a subgroup of people who are interested in volunteering to sit with people in our community who might be homebound and would like company, someone to talk to, or to be read to. We can also provide caregiver respite visits. In our next meeting, we will involve the whole group in suggesting a possible name for this volunteer group.
If you have any questions, please contact Kamala Allen at 415-306-6865.
Aneesha and Timo will not be able to this meeting. Back next meeting!