We health workers feel we have to do something. We have to take blood pressure, pulse, temperature, check peeing and pooping, and do assessments.
With approaching death, it isn’t so much doing something as it is just being there.
Emotional support, guidance for caregivers, and listening are our best tools. Addressing humanity is end of life work.
End of life work takes the focus off the disease and increases the attention on the humanity of a person. It focuses on the person that has a disease instead of the disease that the person has. I’m not saying you shouldn’t focus on the disease and its treatments. I’m saying focus on the human being that has a disease, and only THEN look at the malady.
This approach would apply to all aspects of health care, not just the dying.
Can we focus less on the computer, giving more attention to facial expressions, sounds of fear, or the appearance of exhaustion? This is where true healing lies.
Healing is not just about the physical body. We are mental and emotional beings that have a physical body. If the physical body is not functioning normally, then neither are the mental or emotional aspects of the person.
We are more than our physical bodies. We are emotional and mental energies. As end of life approaches, the entire being needs support.
Wouldn’t it be helpful if all of the medical models looked at the total person?
Something more about… Caring for the Person, Not Just the Disease
When someone you care for is approaching the end of life, it isn’t about doing more — it’s about being more. I’ve created the Approaching Death Support Kit — a bundle of my essential booklets and resources to help you understand what’s happening and how to bring comfort.
