Resources

Living with Serious Illness
Living with Serious Illness, sponsored by Hospice of the Valley, is a family caregiver resource to help the seriously ill and their families learn how to live as comfortably as they can within the context of their disease. Whether you need tips on handling the medical and physical aspects of care, are concerned about emotional or spiritual issues, or simply want to know about important legal and financial decisions, seriousillness.org/santaclaracounty is the place to turn. www.seriousillness.org/santaclaracounty

Touching Lives Magazine
Touching Lives Magazine is a excellent resource for individuals facing serious illness and their families, featuring articles on caregiver wellness, conversation starters, and issues of hope, remembrance, and grief. Read the latest issue (PDF).

Community Resources

Advance Health Care Directive and Power of Attorney
Information on Advance Health Care Directive and Power of Attorney

Alliance for Aging Research
www.agingresearch.org

Americans for Better Care of the Dying
www.abcd-caring.org

California Hospice & Palliative Care Association
www.calhospice.org

Caring Info
National consumer engagement initiative to improve end-of-life care
www.caringinfo.org

Children's Hospice & Palliative Care Coalition
HOPE magazine is an internationally award-winning publication of CHPCC designed to bring awareness to the issues that surround healthcare for children living with serious, debilitating illnesses and their families. Download the 2012 Hope magazine here.
www.chpcc.org

Coda Alliance
Coda Alliance is not for profit organization that helps people understand their end-of-life care options and learn how to discuss their values, preferences and goals with family and healthcare providers before a crisis or serious illness limits their alternatives.
www.codaalliance.org

Family Caregiver Alliance
www.caregiver.org

Go Wish
Go Wish is an interactive values card game used to start the conversation with loved ones and caregivers about completing an advance Healthcare Directive form and understanding the Physician's Order for Life Sustaining Treatment (POLST).
www.gowish.org

Growth House
www.growthhouse.org

Hospice Journey
Hospice Journey offers free, private personal websites to help families keep everyone updated and coordinated during a loved one's journey with hospice. Visit www.hospicejourney.org to learn more, see a sample site, and create your own site.
www.hospicejourney.org

Institute of Medicine
www.iom.edu

Last Acts
www.lastacts.org

Medicare Benefit
Detailed information on the Medicare Hospice benefit.
www.medicare.gov

Author Ira Byock, MD
www.dyingwell.com

National Hospice & Palliative Care Organization
www.nhpco.org

National Public Radio
NPR's web site for The End of Life: Exploring Death in America
www.npr.org/programs/death

PlaneTree Library
PlaneTree is a comprehensive consumer health and medical library, free and open to the public. Sponsored by Good Samaritan Hospital.
www.planetreesanjose.org