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Death and dying are natural parts of life. When we deny their place
in our lives, we cause physical pain and emotional suffering for
everyone involved. The need for changes in education, attitudes toward
death, ethics in medical practices and the debilitating death-denial in
our culture must be addressed so we can transform dying into a positive
experience. Ms. Downs is committed to doing that before she dies.
PRESENTATIONS
These presentations are one hour long.
They can be expanded to a workshop format.
Ms. Downs will design a presentation to fit your organization’s specific
needs.
- Chrysalis Room: A Sacred
Space for Hospice Patients
After spending thousands of hours in nursing homes, Ms Downs
experienced inherent obstacles to supporting a peaceful death for
residents. The greatest of these is resistance to hospice care by
doctors--and families. The constraints of a typical nursing home
room make the experience of being present for a loved one
distressing for family and other residents alike. In response, she
developed the concept of a small, private suite for skilled-care
facilities in which to provide a comfortable, spacious, attractive
environment for the final transition of hospice patients. The
Chrysalis Room is a sacred space for hospice patients.
- Hospice:
Living Differently
Hospice is widely misunderstood. It is a philosophy of
compassionate, holistic comfort care for the dying—and their
caregivers. More Americans now die in the care of hospice, but they
wait so long to sign on that one-third of those individuals only
benefit from this specialized care for less than one week. And while
the benefit is available for six months or longer, the average
hospice patient is served for just slightly more than a month. Some
patients improve with hospice care. Ms. Downs explains the who,
what, when, where--and why--of hospice. This talk is about facing
death and embracing life with the assistance of positive hospice
care.
- Oh, Just Bury Me in the Backyard!
Loretta’s father opened and closed any opportunity to talk about
death with just one comment, “Oh, just bury me in the backyard!” Ms
Downs tells stories and uses humor to talk about dying and death in
positive terms. She shares her “Five Paths Toward a Peaceful
Transition” which serve to diffuse fear and replace it with love.
She teaches you how to talk about death with your loved ones, to
prepare in ways you can, how to be present for a loved one living
the end of his or her life, and where to find gratitude. This
uplifting and inspiring seminar brings peace and meaning to the
end-of-life issues we must all face.
- Not Avoiding the Unavoidable
Loretta Downs talks about what nobody wants to talk about:
end-of-life decisions and the paperwork that comes with them. The
news media regularly depicts what happens when your personal affairs
are not in order, as the recent Terry Schiavo case illustrated. Our
healthcare system makes it necessary to prepare legal documents to
avoid these tragic outcomes. Ms. Downs, a certified senior advisor,
explains how to choose someone to trust with your healthcare
decisions, how to talk about your wishes with loved ones and which
legal forms you need to complete. Taking care of this vital personal
business is a responsible and loving thing to do for your family.
Loretta Downs has presented to scores of healthcare professionals and
individuals concerned with their personal and family needs at the end of
life. Among her speaking engagements are those at:
2007 Joint Conference of The Council on Aging and the American Society on Aging
Advocate Illinois Masonic
Hospital
Rush Hospital
Midwestern University Physician Assistant Conference
University of Illinois School of Nursing
Wright College Department of Occupational Therapy
Heartland Hospice
Rainbow Hospice
Seasons Hospice
International Association of Professional Women
Funeral Directors Service Association
Cenacle Retreat Centers
Mankind Project Elders
Second Baptist Church
Center for Disability and Elder Law
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