Compassion Crossing, LLC

10/19/2026

Advance Care Planning: Because Crises Cannot Be Predicted

Four patients went in for routine surgery and woke up paralyzed. Nobody predicted it, because crises never announce themselves ahead of time. This piece explains why advance care planning should start at 18, what a full plan includes, and why a value-based plan protects your voice before any emergency arrives.

https://compassioncrossing.info/advance-care-planning-because-crises-cannot-be-predicted/

A routine surgery turned into a nightmare with no warning. See why advance care planning matters before a crisis hits, not after.

10/16/2026

Understanding Serotonin Syndrome: A Comprehensive Guide

Hospice nurses assess the status of the patient's journey towards the end of life every nursing visit. Situations where a reversible condition can drastically impact the patient and the hospice assessment can occur. If it is not caught, it is potentially mistreated, leading to increased discomfort and a faster death, often involving increased suffering. One of the common clues that someone is getting closer to dying is increased agitation and restlessness.

Are you aware of Serotonin Syndrome?

https://compassioncrossing.info/understanding-serotonin-syndrome-a-comprehensive-guide/

In this article, we’ll delve into the key aspects of serotonin syndrome, including its description, causes, assessment, and treatment.

10/16/2026

When You Notice Something Is Wrong: Advocating for a Loved One Who May Have Dementia

If someone you love is showing signs of memory loss or confusion, you may be their most important advocate. This article explains what dementia is, the five most common types, and how to use resources from the Alzheimer's Association's care planning page to get your loved one the evaluation and care they deserve.

https://compassioncrossing.info/when-you-notice-something-is-wrong-advocating-for-a-loved-one-who-may-have-dementia/

Learn what dementia is, how it progresses, and how to use proven tools to advocate for a loved one who may need a formal evaluation.

10/14/2026

Caring for Someone With Dementia: Why Medications Are Not Always the First Answer

Dementia is not just memory loss. It causes behavioral and emotional changes that are frightening for families and exhausting for caregivers. This article explains what dementia is, why medications are often the wrong first choice, and how proven non-drug approaches reduce agitation, sadness, and anxiety — with real examples.

https://compassioncrossing.info/caring-for-someone-with-dementia-why-medications-are-not-always-the-first-answer/

Dementia causes real behavioral symptoms. Learn why non-drug approaches work better than medications and how caregivers can use them at home.

10/12/2026

The doctor told you what was wrong. Then came a stack of papers, a follow-up three weeks out, and the visit was over.

You got to your car and realized you never asked the one thing you meant to ask.

Now those papers sit on your kitchen table. One page has lab numbers you can’t read. Another says to start a new pill, on top of the four you already take.

Three weeks is a long time to sit with that. And when the next visit comes, you get about ten minutes to ask it all.

Nobody ever trained you for this.

And if your mom or dad is losing their memory, you’re doing all of it while you grieve someone who’s still sitting right across the table from you.

I’m Peter Abraham, BSN, RN, an independent patient advocate here in Berea.

I’ll read your paperwork with you and explain what it says in plain language. I’ll help you get your questions down on paper so ten minutes is enough. If the appointment is in Madison County or a neighboring county, I can sit beside you and take notes while you listen.

I also go through medication lists, help families plan ahead, coach through dementia, sit with grief, and do in-home wellness checks. Each one stands on its own. You pick what you need.

I don’t take insurance. You pay me directly, on a sliding scale based on what you can afford. If money is the reason you’re about to scroll past, reach out anyway. That’s what the sliding scale is for.

The first conversation is free, about 30 minutes, no pressure.

Meet me at Just Love Coffee in Berea, Brewtanicals in Richmond, or at either Madison County Public Library branch. Farther out? Video works just as well.

📍 In person: https://compassioncrossing.info/book-local-consultation/
💻 By video: https://compassioncrossing.info/book-free-consultation/

P.S. You don’t need the right words. Come as you are.

10/12/2026

Why Turning 50 Shouldn’t Be Your Advance Care Planning Deadline

Waiting for a milestone birthday to create advance directives can leave your wishes unheard. This article explains why adults of any age need a durable medical and financial power of attorney, the three approaches to advance care planning, and how a value-based plan protects you and your family from guesswork later.

https://compassioncrossing.info/why-turning-50-shouldnt-be-your-advance-care-planning-deadline/

Advance planning isn’t a birthday milestone. Learn why age 18 is the right time to start, and how a value-based plan protects your wishes.

10/09/2026

Supporting ME/CFS Patients: A Guide to Accessing Palliative Care Despite Stigma

A comprehensive guide for ME/CFS patients and their caregivers on accessing palliative care services while dealing with illness stigma. Learn about patient rights, caregiver support, and strategies for advocating with healthcare providers to ensure proper care and symptom management.

https://compassioncrossing.info/supporting-me-cfs-patients-a-guide-to-accessing-palliative-care-despite-stigma/

Learn how to access and advocate for proper palliative care for ME/CFS patients while navigating skepticism and misconceptions about the condition.

10/08/2026

Do you get winded on the stairs and blame it on getting older? It could be your lungs.

Kentucky has one of the highest COPD rates in the nation, and many people don't find out they have it until it's far along. Join registered nurse Peter M. Abraham, BSN, RN, for a friendly, plain-talk class about COPD. Peter has extensive experience with advanced illnesses like COPD, along with palliative and hospice care.

You'll learn the warning signs and simple ways to protect your lungs. If you already live with COPD, you'll leave with everyday tips to help you breathe easier and do more of what you love. Bring someone you care about. All are welcome.

📅 Saturday, November 7, 2:00 to 3:00 PM
📍 Madison County Public Library, Berea Branch, Berea, KY

Please register for free at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/breathing-easier-in-madison-county-understanding-copd-tickets-2003142602447

Know someone who needs this? Tag them or share this post.

10/07/2026

When No One Explains What Happens Next: How Independent Patient Advocates Prevent Unsafe Discharges

When a hospital discharge ends with a stack of paperwork and no real plan, families are left guessing. Learn how case managers, social workers, and families can reduce unsafe discharges and hospital readmissions by partnering with an independent patient advocate who walks beside the patient every step of the way.

https://compassioncrossing.info/when-no-one-explains-what-happens-next-how-independent-patient-advocates-prevent-unsafe-discharges/

Learn how independent patient advocates help prevent unsafe hospital discharges and reduce readmissions for patients and families.

10/05/2026

When “Just Keep Fighting” Leaves Young Adults With Cancer Alone in Their Pain

Fewer than one in five young adults with advanced cancer receive palliative care alongside treatment. Fear, misinformation, and thin training pipelines keep this care out of reach for the people who need it most. This article breaks down why the gap exists and what clinicians, advocates, and families can do about it.

https://compassioncrossing.info/when-just-keep-fighting-leaves-young-adults-with-cancer-alone-in-their-pain/

Most 18 to 39 year olds with advanced cancer never get palliative care. Here is why the gap persists and what closes it.