Archives

Living Wills and Dementia: Planning While You Can Still Choose (U.S.-Based Advance Directives)

July 31, 2025 by Ashley Zhinin.

This handout helps individuals in the early stages of dementia explore their values and begin the process of creating a living will using free, accessible online tools. It’s a supportive resource for guiding meaningful conversations about future care and autonomy.

This content is only available to members.

What to Expect During End of Life Care: A Guide for Families

March 31, 2025 by Ashley Zhinin.

This guide helps families understand the natural process of the body shutting down during end-of-life care, with a focus on the emotional challenges surrounding nutrition and hydration. It provides evidence-based explanations and practical tips to help families feel reassured, offering therapists a warm and accessible resource to share during these profound moments.

This content is only available to members.

Hospice Information for Caregivers: Facilitating a Smooth Transition

June 30, 2024 by Ashley Zhinin.

This resource educates families and caregivers about optimizing the transition to hospice. It provides examples of equipment that may be utilized and highlights safety with transfers and ADL engagement, keeping the patient and family involved, and meaningful activities to complete during end-of-life.

This content is only available to members.

When Food is No Longer a Comfort

March 1, 2022 by Ashley Zhinin.

Facing the end of life for a loved one is challenging. This handout will explain why some people stop eating and drinking toward the end of life and how family members can continue showing love and care in other ways.

This content is only available to members.

Palliative Care versus Hospice Care

January 1, 2022 by Megan Berg.

Two common but often misunderstood types of care are palliative care and hospice care. This handout provides detailed descriptions of palliative care and hospice care for people who have a serious or terminal illness and their family to improve their knowledge and understanding and reduce the fear of having tough conversations related to advanced care planning and end-of-life wishes.

This content is only available to members.

Occupational Therapy During Palliative Care

January 1, 2022 by Megan Berg.

Often the goals for therapy and the goals for end of life care seem at opposite ends of a spectrum. In some instances, OT can play an integral role in end of life care, and this handout describes the ways OT is relevant in this setting.

This content is only available to members.