Today, March 30th, Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care celebrates National Doctors’ Day – a day meant to recognize doctors of all kinds and the lasting contributions they continually make for their patients and communities.
Fear of death is a natural human response. Faced with a terminal diagnosis, many patients struggle with how to overcome fear of death to find peace and acceptance.
This week, country musician Josh Turner’s latest release Deep South debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart. Last night, he was No. 1 in our hearts for giving a Crossroads Hospice & Palliative Care patient the night of her life.
Ativan, also known by its generic name, lorazepam, is a benzodiazepine medication used to treat multiple symptoms in end-of-life care. Other drugs in the benzodiazepine family include Valium (diazepam) and Xanax (alprazolam) among others. These medications work in the brain as central nervous system depressants and reduce anxiety by slowing the nervous system down.
One of the fundamental precepts of hospice is that, as often as possible, the responsibility of making end-of-life decisions should be in the hands of the patient. Sometimes, however, that is easier said than done.