Ask A Death Doula

Most people believe hospice means that medical professionals will come in and take care of everything when someone is dying. But the reality is very different. In this episode, Suzanne B. O’Brien RN — former hospice and oncology nurse who has cared for more than 1,000 patients at the end of life — reveals the number one problem with hospice care today and why so many families feel overwhelmed during one of the most important moments of life. The truth may surprise you. Hospice was designed to provide comfort, guidance, and medical oversight, but the majority of hands-on care actually falls to family members at home.  In fact, families often find themselves responsible for tasks such as: administering medications managing symptoms bathing and repositioning their loved one monitoring breathing and physical changes All while navigating grief, exhaustion, and fear. Many families enter hospice believing full-time care will be provided — only to discover that nurses and hospice staff may visit periodically while l