Jane Brody - speaking at Central Library - Tuesday, October 6th, 7pm

kiya@evpl — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 22:59:00 GMT

Most folks recognize Jane Brody as an advocate of healthful living. Her early books were all about good diets, healthy foods, and maintaining a good relationship with your doctor. But even healthy lives come to an end. Brody explains in the preface of her new book, Jane Brody's Guide to the Great Beyond, that when we are fully prepared for the end of life, we are in a much better position to fully enjoy the time we have left.

Brody, the Personal Health columnist for the New York Times, provides clear practical help on recognizing the things we can do NOW to help make things easier when the end comes, whether it is sooner or later. She looks specifically at issues like:

What is a "good death"? Figure out what you want.
Planning ahead for a funeral or memorial service.
Uncertain Future: when you are living with a bad prognosis
Coma
Caregiving: tending someone at the end of life
Hospice and Palliative Care
Spiritual Care
When a Child is Dying - surviving the nightmare
What to Say: conversations at the end of life
Grief: it's not a disease
Organ and Body donations
Lasting Legacies: leaving memories and life lessons

Brody is resprectful of the people she writes about, but she also knows how and when to inject some humor into the discussion. While these issues are not fun to read about and sometimes hard to consider, Brody's book makes it easier. Highly recommended.

Don't miss your chance to hear Jane Brody in person, discussing these issues and her book. She will be this year's Lottes Lecturer at Central Library on Tuesday, October 6^th, at 7pm in the Browning Room. The program is free, and open to the public. More information available here.

Books Blog : end of life issues, illness

Jane Brody - speaking at Central Library - Tuesday, October 6th, 7pm