Living Forever, Not an Option

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option , host Mary Crowe discusses the impact of younger onset Alzheimer's Disease with Judy Johansen, who experienced this impact firsthand, with her husband Steve's diagnosis.

Host Mary Crowe welcomes on David Rodriquez from Danvers Community Access Television.  David helps produce our television program "Timing Is Everything" and comes on to discuss the show's big topics from the past year.   Learn more: CareDimensions.org

Host Mary Crowe welcomes on Claire Willis, who is the author of “Opening to Grief.”  In their conversation, Mary and Claire talk about grief being a natural response to loss, and not something that needs to be “fixed.”

On this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option, Mary and Care Dimensions' chaplain Robert Hagopian share advice on how to cope with the holidays after the loss of a loved one.

On this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option , Mary discusses with Francine Temkin the way hospice supports caregivers for National Hospice and Palliative Care month.

On this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option, Lyn and Mary speak with guest Stephanie Patel, Care Dimensions’ Medical Director, to discuss how Care Dimensions adapted to the Covid-19 pandemic.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option , hosts Lyn and Mary discuss the role of hospice volunteers with Care Dimensions' Director of Volunteer Services and Complementary Therapies, Sheryl Meehan.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option , Mary discusses Advance Care Planning with special guest, Ellen DiPaola, President & CEO of Honoring Choices in Massachusetts. Both experts on the topic, they dispel common myths around Advance Care Planning and offer advice on how and when to fill out these important documents.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option, hosts Lyn and Mary discuss the misconception that a person has to "take to the bed" in order to receive hospice care. "Taking to the bed" refers to a person who is bed-ridden or home-bound, but this is not the case for all hospice patients. Many individuals with serious and advanced illness continue their lives with improved quality with the help o...

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option , hosts Lyn Skarmeas and Mary Crowe discuss the importance of listening when you or a loved one has a serious or advanced illness.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option, hosts Lyn and Mary discuss the benefits of reminiscing and life review through both their personal and professional experiences. 

In this episode of Living Forever, Not An Option , hosts Lyn Skarmeas and Mary Crowe discuss the challenges associated with living with a serious illness and provide tips on how to adjust after receiving a diagnosis.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not an Option, hosts Lyn and Mary discuss various complementary therapies and the benefits to both patients and families at end of life.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not an Option, hosts Lyn and Mary discuss the importance of caring for the caregiver to ensure the best quality of life for both the patient and caregiver.

In this episode of Living Forever, Not an Option our hosts touch upon the realities of grief and loss and ways that we can care for each other during those times.

Episode 5 of Living Forever Not an Option is all about living well, what gets in the way and how we can incorporate techniques or approaches that can positively influence our life, healthcare and overall quality of life.

In this episode of the  Care Dimensions Learning Institute 's podcast of  Living Forever, Not an Option , our hosts, Lyn Skarmeas and Mary Crowe tackle the challenges most of us struggle with when discussing health care wishes,death, dying and hospice care.

Our hosts, Lyn Skarmeas and Mary Crowe, open this episode of Living Forever, Not an Option with a question: “Can you imagine not being in control of your major life decisions?” With this question comes this episode’s topic; being in control of your healthcare wishes before others make the decision for you

In the second episode of Living Forever, Not an Option , our hosts Lyn Skarmeas and Mary Crowe discuss the many myths and misconceptions surrounding hospice care. Lack of understanding or awareness of the services and support that hospice can bring to patients and families, as well as preconceived notions often perpetuate these misconceptions about hospice.

For this special episode of Living Forever, Not an Option , our hosts Mary Crowe and Lyn Skarmeas wanted to do a special episode that discusses coping with the holidays after a loss. The holidays can be a challenging time for people in general but coping with the holidays after a loss adds a new level of difficulty to anyone’s life.

Hosts Mary Crowe, LICSW, ACHP-SW, and Lyn Skarmeas explain the differences between hospice and palliative care, the philosophy and history of hospice, and dispel some of the myths surrounding hospice care because "living forever is not an option."