Review: Enlightening
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 21, 2012
I read the book as research not because I was going through the loss of a loved one so I can't say that I was able to put any of these tips into practice. I did find the book to be very straight forward in what to expect when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal illness. The author clearly lays out what to expect, what kind of decisions need to be made, and how to go about making those decisions while not taking the loved one's dignity and power away from them. The reader is reminded that the loved one is the one who is dying and should be part of the decision-making process as long as possible. The reader is also given very practical steps for how to work with hospice care providers and the importance of taking care of legal documents early on such as medical power of attorney as well as a will and a financial power of attorney. Practical strategies for record-keeping and setting up a communication center are also included. It certainly is not easy to go through such a situation, but having these tips to help get organized would definitely take some of the confusion out of the process.