When Professional Grief Becomes Personal: A Conversation with Barbara Karnes

In this final episode of our special 4 part series, Hospice Educator Barbara Karnes shares the personal story of her husband’s end of life journey and death.  She opens up about all the emotions she experienced as she and her family supported Jack Karnes after his diagnosis with a terminal illness.  Jack died four months after he was diagnosed with lung cancer.  Barbara and Jack had been married for 61 years at the time of his death.   After working over 40 years in end of life care, Barbara experienced all the aspects of interdisciplinary hospice care, death, and grief in her personal life.  

We’re grateful for Barbara’s generosity and vulnerability in telling her story.  After all the years she has spent educating hospice workers and end of life caregivers, she’s still teaching us.  

We’d like to thank Lisa Pahl, founder of The Death Death and End of Life, for sponsoring this special series in honor of National Family Caregivers Month and National Hospice and Palliative Care Month (National Home Care Month).  

Here’s are some details of what Barbara shares in this touching interview:

• What the process of a hospice admission is truly like
• The impact of staffing changes on the trust bond with a caregiver
• Learning to live as a “me” after living as a “we” after 60 years of marriage
• The many emotions she experienced when Jack was terminally ill
• The music she wants to be part of her advance care plan 

Connect with Barbara Karnes:

Website: bkbooks.com

Blog:  bkbooks.com

Shop her products:  bkbooks.com

Socials:    Facebook     Instagram     LinkedIn     Twitter     Pinterest     YouTube

Email: [email protected]

Thank you to our series sponsor The Death Deck!  

Connect with the End of Life Deck and the Death Deck:

Website:  thedeathdeck.comhttps://thedeathdeck.com/

Shop:  End of Life Deck   Death Deck

Socials for the Death Deck:  Facebook   IG   Twitter (X)

Hospice Navigation Services is here for you.  If you have questions about hospice care or need to troubleshoot the care you’re already receiving, book a session with an expert Hospice Navigator at theheartofhospice.com.  

Connect with The Heart of Hospice Podcast and host Helen Bauer

Website:  theheartofhospice.com

Email:  [email protected]

More podcast episodes:  The Heart of Hospice Podcast