NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 22

continued from previous page

While others may be more
comfortable using euphemisms
for death, we can lead by example
through direct communication. If
we can manage our own anxiety
and discomfort, particularly when
working with patients and family
members who are anxious about
an impending death, our calm
presence will set the stage for
increasingly open communication.
Direct language is reminiscent of
early history when death was
addressed and experienced as a
natural and normal part of life.
The hospice movement brought
back important aspects of death
and dying, and direct language
is the perfect complement to
today's hospice model of
compassionate care.

SOME TIPS
If you've used euphemisms for
death simply because you've
simply picked them up along the
way, then it's a matter of changing
an old habit by switching to direct
language. And, if you're using
euphemisms because direct
language concerning death is
uncomfortable for you, here are
some ideas for how to work
through your own emotional
process.

1. Observe and identify your own
discomfort as you use direct
language. Take note of your
feelings as they come up. As you
become more comfortable using
direct language, you'll learn to

22

manage anxiety as well. The goal
is not necessarily to make all
discomfort go away, but to become
aware of that discomfort while
continuing to use direct language.

2. Be a researcher and investigate
where your sensitivity comes
from by taking a look at your
family of origin. For example,
how have your family members
(immediate and extended family)
and ancestors coped with dying
and death? Did they believe in
attending funerals? Does your
family have a communication
style that reflects an open or
closed system?
3. Remember that patients and
families naturally experience
sadness and emotional pain in
response to death. This is normal
and natural, and there should be
no pressure to make such feelings
go away, or even to make those
who are affected feel better.
Simply provide a calm,
supportive, emotionally neutral
presence and let them do the rest.

4. Work on your own end-of-life
plans by having open discussions
with your family members. This
real-life experience will add
authenticity to your hospice work.

REFERENCES:
http://www.geoba.se/population.
php?pc=world&type=15
Bowen, Murry, M.D., Family
Therapy in Clinical Practice,
Jason Aronson, Inc. (1983)

NHPCO NewsLine | Summer 2017

(Murray Bowen, M.D. (1913-1990)
did pioneering theoretical and
clinical work that began in the
1940s and evolved into the Bowen
Family Systems Theory. He
developed a scientifically proven
model of human dynamics that
explains the variation in families'
emotional processes.)
McKnight, Ann S., MSW, EdD,
Perspectives on Grief:
Psychoanalytic, Evolutionary, and
Family Systems, Family Systems
Journal, Spring 2015, Vol. 11, No. 1
NHPCO.org, National Hospice
and Palliative Care Organization
Spellman, W.M., A Brief History of
Death, (Reaktion Books Ltd, 2014)
Judy K. Porter, LISW, ACHP-SW,
is a hospice social worker at Care
Initiatives Hospice, Des Moines,
Iowa, where she provides direct
care, social worker supervision,
and staff training. She has 20
years of experience in hospice
work and in 1999 began her
studies in the Bowen Family
Systems Theory, in the postgraduate program at the Kansas
City Center for the Family.
Printer-Friendly PDF


http://www.NHPCO.org http://www.geoba.se/population.php?pc=world&type=15 http://www.geoba.se/population.php?pc=world&type=15

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017

Table of Contents
Virtual Conference (display ad)
Message from Edo
History, Innovation and Trust
Edo Q&A
Summer Listening Tour (display ad)
NHF Gala (display ad)
Lighthouse of Hope Fund (display ad)
Put "Passed Away" to Rest
ACHC (display ad)
Hospice Aides Webinar Series (display ad)
Using Education to Connect
2017 Interdisciplinary Conference
2017 Interdisciplinary Conf (display ad)
Music & Memory
Pioneers of Hospice
NHPCO Career Center (display ad)
2017 Management and Leadership Conf
Advocacy at MLC
NHDD Congressional Briefing
2017 Advocacy Intensive
2017 Advocacy Intensive (display ad)
Virtual Conference 2017
Linda Rock Receives Award
NHPCO Webinars (display ad)
Podcasts (display ad)
Member News
MVI (display ad)
CaringInfo Content Licensing (display ad)
News from NHF
News from We Honor Veterans
Online Resources
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Intro
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 1
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Table of Contents
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 3
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Virtual Conference (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Message from Edo
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - History, Innovation and Trust
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 7
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 8
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 9
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 10
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 11
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 12
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Edo Q&A
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 14
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 15
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Summer Listening Tour (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Lighthouse of Hope Fund (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Put "Passed Away" to Rest
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 19
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 20
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 21
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 22
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Hospice Aides Webinar Series (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Using Education to Connect
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 25
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 26
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 27
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 2017 Interdisciplinary Conference
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 2017 Interdisciplinary Conf (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Music & Memory
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 31
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Pioneers of Hospice
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 33
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 34
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - NHPCO Career Center (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 2017 Management and Leadership Conf
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 37
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Advocacy at MLC
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - NHDD Congressional Briefing
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 2017 Advocacy Intensive
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 2017 Advocacy Intensive (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Virtual Conference 2017
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 43
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Linda Rock Receives Award
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Podcasts (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Member News
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 47
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 48
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - MVI (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - 50
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - CaringInfo Content Licensing (display ad)
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - News from NHF
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - News from We Honor Veterans
NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2017 - Online Resources
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Winter2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Fall2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Summer2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Spring2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Winter2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Fall2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Summer2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Spring2019
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Winter2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Fall2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Summer2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Spring2018
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Winter2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Fall2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Summer2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_Spring2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2016Winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2016Fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2016Summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2016Spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2015Winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2015Fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2015Summer
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2015Spring
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2014Winter
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/NewsLine_2014Fall
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/Newsline_201406
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/Newsline_201405
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/newsline_201404
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/newsline_201403
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/newsline_201402
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/newsline_201401
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/newsline_201312
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/newsline_201311
https://www.nxtbook.com/mercury/nhpco/Newsline_201310
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201309
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201308
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201307
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201306
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201305
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201304
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201303
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201302
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201301
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201212
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201211
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201210
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201209
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201208
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201207
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201206
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201205
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201204
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201203
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201202
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201201
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201112
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201111
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201110
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201109
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201108
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201107
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201106
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201105
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201104
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201103
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201102
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201101
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201012
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201011
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201010
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201009
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201008
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201007
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201006
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201005
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201004
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201003
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201002
https://www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/nhpco/newsline_201001
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com