SerenAging with Suzanne

08/29/2026

08/29/2026

Minoa Library SerenAging with Suzanne Suzanne Marie

08/29/2026

Another great seminar series session this week at Minoa Library.

Meaningful dialogue about dementia care and the Dementia Advance Directive, caregiver burnout, the 5 things people regret most when a loved one dies, MAiD and VSED.

Next Seminar will be on September 16 at 11AM where we will talk about the 3 most universal end of life phenomena and how understanding them can bring peace to the dying and their loved ones.

Serenity, Suz
☮️💚🐞

08/14/2026

This!!

I had a conversation with the daughter of a new hospice patient.

She asked, “Why didn’t my mom’s doctor tell us about hospice sooner?”

Her mother was doing Telehealth visits for over a year with her doctors because she was unable to leave her house due to edema from Congestive Heart Failure.

Her mother had been refusing to go to the ER for assessment/ treatment of her symptoms. Four times over the last year this was recommended. Four times she said no. She wanted to be at home. She did not want to return to the ER.

Her disease was advancing.

Her quality of life was declining.

Finally, the physician referred her to palliative care after more than a year of living like this.

The patient quickly found out that she qualified for hospice care.

She came on to hospice and, within a week, her symptoms were better managed.

Her daughter also now had the support of the hospice nurse, physician, social worker, chaplain, and bath aids.
She shared that she feels so much less alone in caring for her mom.

The daughter shared with me, her hospice social worker, “my mom has suffered needlessly for over a year because we didn’t know there was another option.”

I recognize that there are some hospices out there that are trying to just make a profit. We’ve all seen the articles on fraudulent hospices.

And, there are so many more hospices out there that are filled with compassionate care providers who want to end the needless suffering that those approaching end of life can experience.

We all need to be community educators, making sure everyone knows the options that are available at end of life. We need to keep communicating with medical providers who can begin to refer sooner.

Everyone deserves quality care at end of life.

08/12/2026

Today!!

This Week is the Good Death Good Life Café!

Join Suzanne B O'Brien this WEDNESDAY at 12pm EST for a special gathering on Zoom.

Let’s create a space where compassion leads and hearts are open. Everyone is welcome.

🔗 Register now: http://doulagivers.com/life-cafe

08/10/2026

https://time.com/article/2026/08/05/what-to-say-to-someone-who-is-dying/?fbclid=IwZnRzaATm0K5wZG9mBWZkaWQWUMPh6HStGC3-CP7bamoQNScCIWDDFWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR5Wy-7Gwy_qk-3nm1nxtpRSZ7JczbHtNyOLgNPjDwzgd-XTYiWR7AVMdxUR1w_aem_ldtzEAEw1AMo_0kl8aCX3g

Serenity, Suz
☮️💚🐞

Hospice and palliative-care experts explain what to say to someone who is dying, how to say goodbye, and which well-meaning phrases to avoid.

08/08/2026

888 ♾️

Serenity, Suz
☮️💚🐞