SimplyNumbers

Yes Magazine: Teaching children about death

Sharon Hayes, writing for Yes Magazine, has written a moving article on the issue of death and how to discuss it with children. She discusses how her family dealt with death as she was growing up. She writes, "I considered the grown-ups from my own childhood, who had prevented me from seeing my dying Aunt. Why would they have done that? I suspect they wanted me to remember her healthy. Maybe they didn’t want me to be frightened."

Many of us may have similar experiences to hers. I also have memories of missing the chance to say goodbye to my maternal grandmother. Like Sharon, I remember visiting the hospital, but not going to see my grandmother.

Sharon finishes the article by talking about how she wants her daughters to understand death, and she takes them to visit their grandfather who is dying. She explains that it's not easy process for her daughters, but that they will continue to visit their grandfather while they have the chance.

Caring for the caregivers

New research shows the stress experienced by caregivers can make them sick. It's believed, that among other factors, chronically high levels of the stress hormone cortisol can weaken and damage your immune and cardiovascular systems.

The research is talked about in the article above, which focuses on one caregiver turned author,  Dixie Coskie, who dealt with the stress around her son being in a coma for six months, and later helping him after he was diagnosed with leukemia. Her book, "Unthinkable", explains her journey with her son and  offers support and advice for other caregivers.

In order to better take care of yourself as caregiver the article offers the following suggestions:

• Watch what you eat
• Let go of guilt
• Be willing to ask for, and accept, help
• Don’t over-think everything
• Don’t try to control everything