Named a 2010 Self Help Best Book by Library Journal
Saying Goodbye To Someone You Love consists of moving narratives about end of life and grief. These personal histories are complemented by practical guidelines for those caring for their loved ones through the last stages of life. For those who are grieving, the true-to-life-stories demonstrate how others have navigated through the tidal wave of emotions and reactions that characterize the grief process. For health care professionals and those who are offering support to grievers, Saying Goodbye To Someone You Love provides a new perspective on the challenges of caring for the dying and living with grief.
Hundreds of poignant, touching, loving, humorous personal experiences address readers' concerns and curiosity about how others have faced life's final chapter with love and dignity. Specific issues include talking about death, hospice, funerals, grieving, and celebrating life.
Saying Goodbye To Someone You Love empowers readers by
- Bringing compassion and awareness to end of life issues
- Providing examples of loving care at the moment of death
- illuminating uncharted territory
- Demonstrating how others cope
- Demystifying the grief process
- Inspiring hope
The narratives and advice in Saying Goodbye To Someone You Love benefits family members, friends and health care professionals as they travel the emotional journey through end of life and grief.
;Introduction
1. The Elephant in the Room
2. The Conversation
3. The "H" Word...What is Hospice?
4. Caregiver Challenges
5. Celebrating Life
6. Preparing to Say Goodbye
7. Final Moments
8. Funerals
9. Memorials
10. Grieving
11. What About the Children?
12. Supporting Those Who Grieve
13. Creating a New Life; Epilogue; Resources
;"Dresser and licensed marriage and family therapist Wasserman draw from their experience as hospice workers to illustrate how people have brought up the subject of death with the dying, made end-of-life decisions, and planned (or not held) a funeral service. Dresser and Wasserman not only offer comfort and companionship but provide practical suggestions for conversation starters, ideas for memorials, and a whole section on handling the grief of children. Essential for anyone experiencing end-of-life issues."-Library Journal
"Saying 'goodbye to a dying loved one can be a tough experience but it is critical to the effective handling of grief after a loss. In this comprehensive book Dresser and Wasserman provide guidance on how we can help our loved ones and ourselves have an "appropriate death' - a death that reflects one's goals, values, and life-style. The reader of this book will be moved by the many life stories that inform the heart as well as the mind."-J. William Worden, PhD, ABPP, author of Grief Counseling and Grief Therapy and Children and Death: When a Parent Dies
"An engrossing look at how to embrace and of life and grief. Filled with insight, empathy, and even a touch of humor to ease us through this inevitable life passage. Extraordinarily helpful for patients, families, professionals, and anyone who will ever have to say goodbye to someone they love."-David Kessler,co-author with Elizabeth K�Ross of On Grief and Grieving and author of Visions, Trips and Crowded Rooms
"A thoughtful and thorough guide for effectively processing all phases of loss."-Robert J, Taub, MD, Founding Medical Director, Cedars-Sinai Hospice and Palliative Care Program
