This article was updated on April 25, 2023. It discusses the right to withhold life-sustaining medical treatment for yourself or another. It’s legal. You’re allowed to say ‘no’ to medical treatment. And if you’re the person responsible, you’re allowed to say no on behalf of the person you’re responsible for. … Read more
This article was updated on March 11, 2023. It discusses death and palliative care in nursing homes. We’re still hearing uncomfortable stories from readers about the deaths of their elderly in nursing homes. Sometimes only a little thing went wrong, making the family sad for the dying person, and undoing … Read more
Here are some documents discussed at our Mosman Seniors Centre session today. It doesn’t matter whether you were there or not, these might be useful. Take our easy two question survey. And if you take our simple two question survey today, you could be in the draw to get a … Read more
Slip in at lunch time. The session will go for an hour, from 12 noon until 1pm, and we’d love to see you. Mosman Seniors Centre, Mosman Square, 12noon-1pm, Monday February 20. Coffee, tea and sandwiches will be provided. At the beginning of the session, we’ll invite you to answer … Read more
Join us on February 9, for our FREE event, as I and other guest speakers share our stories, knowledge, and experience about legal considerations, managing grief and bereavement, the benefits of memorialisation, as well as the importance of having ‘those’ conversations. “There will be plenty of room if someone joins … Read more
Death doulas are becoming increasingly popular in Australia – so what exactly do death doulas do? Because theirs is only an emerging field, roles and what we can expect from people who define themselves as ‘death doulas’ can vary. But what is becoming increasingly clear is that more and more … Read more
This article on advance care directives has been updated on August 5, 2022. Advance care directives are evolving – and there’s so much more to know beyond the usual questions of “Do I need to have an advanced care directive?” and “Who needs to know about it?” For example how … Read more
“Violet is a place you can turn to for help in navigating the last stage of life,” explains The Violet Initiative CEO, Melissa Reader. It aims to help the people around the person who is dying, to help them to become resilient and to live with fewer regrets about the … Read more
(First published in the Good Grief May newsletter.) While most Australians want to have control over their end-of-life, including not having life- prolonging treatment, still today, too few people empower themselves by taking the practical steps to make this happen. Only 14 per cent of people over the age of … Read more
Updated 15 March, 2022. Aged Care Reform Now (ACRN) asked if we would give their ‘13 questions – where do you stand on aged care’ campaign some publicity. It’s a year since the Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety – but there hasn’t been enough improvement to aged … Read more
Our little team here at Good Grief! is over the moon! The mission of Good Grief! is to provide articles, newsletters, resources, and workshops for grief management & end of life discussion and we’ve just improved the way we do it. Cynthia, our graphic designer, has added the finishing touches to … Read more
“Okay, what do you call ‘a good death?’,” Kerri-Anne Kennerley asked. Kerri-Anne was asking pertinent questions – prompted by her own painful experience and this has become one of my favourite interviews. Kerri-Anne’s beloved husband John Kennerley had only died four months before, in February 2019, following a long illness … Read more
RK, 97, lives in a nursing home. He has dementia which is progressing rapidly and he’s losing his swallow reflex. So he’s more likely to aspirate food and saliva – inhaling them into his windpipe, causing pneumonia. And this is what happened, leading to fever, one night in late May … Read more
Here’s Good Grief’s bullet point review of Volume 1 Summary and Recommendations, of Australia’s Royal Commission into Aged Care Quality and Safety. It’s a report we want to help you keep an eye on. The Commission’s report, delivered last February, is a fantastic opportunity for everyone – including lay people, … Read more
As the organisers say, it’s “a time to talk about what matters most”. “National Advance Care Planning Week is an annual initiative by Advance Care Planning Australia that encourages all Australians, regardless of their age or health status, to make their future health care preferences known,” they explain on their … Read more