Free Daily Podcast Summary
Hospice Explained: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Marie Betcher RN
This is a podcast to Explain what is hospice. The goal of this show is to decrease fear and increase education for patients and their families during the end of life season. The show will also share some experiences and stories to help the listener understand what does Hospice mean, and how a person can help care for their loved one.
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- Yesterday24 min
202 Prescription-Grade THC-Free CBD for Pain, Anxiety, and Sleep: Pulak Sharma on Cope Now
202 Prescription-Grade THC-Free CBD for Pain, Anxiety, and Sleep: Pulak Sharma on Cope Now Host Marie Betcher, RN and former hospice nurse, interviews Pulak Sharma, founder of Kazmira and creator of Cope Now, a vertically integrated telemedicine, compounding pharmacy, and manufacturing platform providing prescription, pharmaceutical-grade THC-free CBD. Sharma explains their CGMP-validated hemp extraction and purification process, compounding into an oral tincture in three strengths, delivery to patients, and development of a shelf-stable nano-emulsion. He says patients most commonly seek help for anxiety and pain, and notes many consumer CBD products are underdosed, citing therapeutic ranges of roughly 200–400 mg/day and typical prescribing around 300 mg/day, with protocols for titration and liver enzyme concerns. They discuss CBD's non-scheduled status, lower side-effect profile compared with opioids/benzodiazepines, clinician and pharmacist oversight for dosing and interactions, and batch testing showing non-detect THC to avoid psychoactive effects and THC-positive urine tests. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:29 Meet the Guest and Episode Focus 02:07 How Cope Now Works 03:06 Product Formats and Strengths 03:53 Top Uses and Proper Dosing 05:25 Hospice Needs and Opioid Alternatives 08:52 Titration and Daily Timing 12:04 Telemedicine Intake and Prescribing 13:32 Founder Story and Older Patients 16:14 Closing the Guidance Gap 17:59 Addiction and THC Free Assurance 20:47 Standardizing CBD as Medicine 23:42 Final Thanks and Subscribe https://copenow.com/ If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast. Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You) <span style= "font-size: 14pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; color
- 1 weeks ago33 min
201 Hospice Explained: Margaret Montes RN, BSN, PHN on Early Hospice Nursing, Comfort Care, and Family Education
201 Hospice Explained: Margaret Montes RN, BSN, PHN on Early Hospice Nursing, Comfort Care, and Family Education Host Marie Betcher, RN, interviews retired hospice nurse Margaret Montes RN, BSN, PHN with facilitator Cindy Cisneros. Margaret, raised in Puerto Rico and licensed in 1976, joined the new Hospice of East San Gabriel Valley in 1987 and worked 33 years, starting when the census was eight patients and she was the only nurse; her bilingual skills helped serve Spanish-speaking families. They discuss early obstacles such as recruiting nurses suited for hospice, later team disagreements resolved through weekly interdisciplinary meetings, and common family fears that hospice or medications (including morphine) hasten death, emphasizing comfort as the goal. Margaret shares end-of-life visioning stories and a case where a family called 911 despite DNR wishes. They stress educating families on the dying process (including Barbara Karnes' "blue book"), bereavement follow-up, and analogies like the body as an aging car and end of life mirroring infancy. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:29 Meet Marie and Guests 01:49 Margaret Finds Hospice 05:26 Early Hospice Challenges 07:28 Team Meetings Behind Scenes 10:43 Hospice Does Not Hasten Death 12:14 Comfort Beyond Medication 14:25 End of Life Visions Stories 18:07 When Families Call 911 20:46 What Everyone Should Know 24:01 Family Dynamics and Aftercare 27:39 Faith Fear and Support 29:46 Analogies for Dying Process 32:08 Final Thanks and Subscribe If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link <span style= "font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Arial', sans-serif; color:
- 2 weeks ago38 min
200 Shari Brase-Smith RN, MS on Hospice Education, Facility Care, and Having Hard Conversations
200 Shari Brase-Smith RN, MS on Hospice Education, Facility Care, and Having Hard Conversations Host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, marks episode 200 of Hospice Explained with guest Shari Brase-Smith RN, MS, a hospice nurse, educator, and author. Shari recounts her nursing background since 1978 and how the rapid deaths of her husband and mother shaped her understanding of end-of-life needs, emphasizing that even experienced clinicians are often unprepared because healthcare and society focus on curing and avoid dying discussions. She describes why families and facility staff lack clear, practical guidance on what dying looks like, symptom management, and when to involve hospice, especially in nursing homes and assisted living. Shari explains her books are organized for quick, crisis-time answers, highlights the importance of conversations about wishes and forgiveness, and shares her Christian-focused poetry book on grief and hope. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:29 Episode 200 Guest Intro 02:27 Shari's Nursing Journey 03:31 Personal Loss and Whirlwind 07:24 Why End-of-Life Education Matters 11:24 Books Filling the Resource Gap 17:02 Eating and Drinking at End of Life 19:17 Starting Hard Conversations 23:27 Forgiveness and Peace 27:28 Helping Facility Staff Work With Hospice 32:09 Poetry Faith and Grief 37:21 Closing Thanks and Subscribe https://sharibrase-smith.com/ <div class="stack gap-1" style= "border: 0px solid rgb(229, 231, 235); box-sizing: border-box; display: flex; flex-direction: column; gap: 4px; --tau-gap-color: #f2f2f2; --color-standard-text: #343434; --color-subtext: #858585; --to-color-invert-value: #85858566; user-select: text; color: #343434; font-family: -apple-system, 'system-ui', 'Segoe UI', 'Helvetica Neue', Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, 'Segoe UI Emoji', 'Segoe UI Symbol'; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: s
- 3 weeks ago38 min
199 At What Point Do We Say Stop? A Brother's Death, CPR Trauma, and Why End-of-Life Wishes Must Be Discussed Early with Gabrielle Elise (Gabby) Jimenez
199 At What Point Do We Say Stop? A Brother's Death, CPR Trauma, and Why End-of-Life Wishes Must Be Discussed Early with Gabrielle Elise (Gabby) Jimenez Host Marie Betcher welcomes back hospice and palliative care nurse, end-of-life doula, and The Hospice Heart founder Gabrielle Elise (Gabby) Jimenez to share the story of her brother Ben's death and why earlier end-of-life conversations matter. After years of estrangement, Gabby spent 18 days at Ben's bedside as he was mostly nonresponsive on a ventilator and tube feeds, then briefly woke and repeatedly said "yes" to escalating life-sustaining measures, creating conflict between what Gabby believed he'd want and what he voiced. When Ben suddenly deteriorated, Gabby arrived to find a chaotic CPR code and ultimately told the team to stop, allowing Ben's final minutes to be quieter with his daughter. They discuss how traumatic and violent CPR can be for medically fragile patients, how staff must follow expressed wishes without prior directives, and the importance of advance directives, POLST/MOST forms, and clearly communicated plans so loved ones can confidently honor a person's choices. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:29 Meet Host and Guest 02:31 Ben Hospitalized Reunion 04:16 Wakes Up and Choices 07:51 Code Blue Saying Stop 10:38 Aftermath and Regrets 12:22 CPR Trauma Explained 20:08 Advance Planning Tools 26:58 Marie's Brothers Story 32:08 When CPR Helps or Hurts 34:47 Have the Conversation 36:12 Final Takeaways and Goodbye https://www.thehospiceheart.net/ If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast. Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You) Marie's
- 4 weeks ago30 min
198 Hospice Explained: Eric Horwith on End-of-Life Planning and Navigating Grief
198 Hospice Explained: Eric Horwith on End-of-Life Planning and Navigating Grief Host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, interviews Eric Horwith, a social worker and UPMC regional director of business development who focuses on improving timely access to hospice, palliative care, and home health services and teaches at the University of Pittsburgh. Eric shares how his father's unexpected death forced urgent end-of-life decisions without advance planning, reinforcing the need for earlier conversations and legal documents. He describes his mother's peaceful death at 83 and his subsequent intense grief, which led him to write the Amazon-available guide, "Grief Exists Because Love Persists: Navigating Life After Loss," emphasizing grief as individualized and something to move through while honoring a loved one's legacy. Eric outlines his university course covering hospice, palliative care, organ donation, autopsy, cultural considerations, and advance care planning. He advises researching hospice providers, noting hospice is a benefit regardless of ability to pay and highlighting publicly reported quality metrics. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:41 Meet Eric Horwith 02:33 Eric's Story and Calling 04:56 Sudden Loss and Planning Ahead 07:41 Mom's Peaceful Passing 09:23 Why He Wrote the Grief Guide 10:06 Grief Exists Because Love Persists 12:28 Grief Nuggets and Marathon Metaphor 15:37 Honoring Barbara's Legacy 16:42 Teaching Death and Dying 24:07 Hospice Access for Underserved 28:13 Final Takeaways and Goodbye If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast. Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You) Marie's Contact Marie@HospiceExplained.com www.HospiceExplained.com<
- Aug 16, 202629 min
197 Author Dr. Jerry Woodbridge on Children's Grief, Widowhood, and Writing the Loved, Lost, Won Series
197 Author Dr. Jerry Woodbridge on Children's Grief, Widowhood, and Writing the Loved, Lost, Won Series In Hospice Explained episode 197, host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, interviews educator and author Dr. Jerry Woodbridge about grief, faith, and her writing. Dr. Jerry shares her background in education and educational technology, her sudden widowhood in 2004 when her husband died one day after a colon cancer diagnosis, and the impact on her children, including her son's unspoken panic attacks and a difficult move from Florida to Indiana. She describes how journaling, faith, and ballroom dancing supported her grief, leading to her widow's devotional Trading My Sorrows for the Joy of the Lord. Prompted by a TEDx conversation, she wrote the children's grief novel Joy Overcame Sorrow with a companion Joy's Journal, and released book two, The Intersection, about twin loss and survivor's guilt. She is also researching a future book about a military family's loss and emphasizes moving between sorrow and joy through love. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:38 Meet Dr. Jerry Woodbridge 03:21 Sudden Loss and Widowhood 05:38 Parenting Through Grief 10:15 Adoption and Added Complexity 10:53 Writing Through Grief 14:55 Joy Overcame Sorrow 19:26 The Intersection Twin Loss 22:35 Anticipatory Grief and Faith 24:38 Turning Pain Into Purpose 26:28 Final Reflections and Goodbye https://www.drjerrylwoodbridge.com/books If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast. Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You) Marie's Contact Marie@HospiceExplained.com www.HospiceExplained.com <p class="MsoNorma
- Aug 9, 20265 min
196 Six-Year Anniversary Reflections and CPR Considerations at End of Life
196 Six-Year Anniversary Reflections and CPR Considerations at End of Life In episode 196 of Hospice Explained, host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, marks what she considers the podcast's six-year anniversary since beginning work on it in August 2020 and reflects on how it grew far beyond the 20 episodes she originally expected. She highlights a recent Facebook post from The Hospice Heart by nurse educator Gabby Jimenez about her brother's end-of-life and CPR experience, encourages listeners to read it, and notes plans to invite Gabby back after her prior appearance on episode 168. Marie discusses key considerations about CPR at end of life, especially for elderly patients, including risks like fractures due to weakened bones and low likelihood (less than 5%) of leaving the hospital after CPR, urging families to discuss these realities in advance. She invites listeners to share personal stories by emailing her. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:29 Episode Intro and Host 00:49 Six Year Podcast Milestone 01:42 Gabby Jimenez Spotlight 02:37 CPR End of Life Realities 03:09 Risks for Elderly Patients 03:35 Making the CPR Decision 04:28 Share Your Story Invite 05:25 Closing Thanks and Subscribe https://cprcertificationnow.com/blogs/mycpr-now-blog/cpr-for-the-elderly-special-techniques-and-considerations If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast. Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) When you order with Cloud 9 care system, please tell them you heard about them from Hospice Explained.(Thank You) Marie's Contact Marie@HospiceExplained.com www.HospiceExplained.com <s
- Aug 2, 202634 min
195 Funeral Planning, Grief, and Hospice: Bob Arrington on Why Celebrating a Life Matters
195 Funeral Planning, Grief, and Hospice: Bob Arrington on Why Celebrating a Life Matters Host Marie Betcher, a registered nurse and former hospice nurse, interviews Bob Arrington, NFDA spokesperson and longtime Tennessee funeral director, about how funeral service supports the grief journey and why planning matters. Arrington explains that families don't call a funeral director just to bury or cremate, but to begin adjusting to a "new normal," and that skipping any kind of service often makes grief harder for family and community. He encourages pausing to honor a life even with simple gatherings, and stresses that pre-planning (not necessarily pre-paying) reduces emotional stress by preventing loved ones from making major decisions in crisis. They discuss hospice as a major benefit that supports care and dying at home, grief resources through NFDA and Alan Wolfelt, the importance of individualized grief timelines, and NFDA's "Have the Talk of a Lifetime" conversation cards. 00:00 Welcome and Disclaimer 00:28 Meet Host Marie 00:41 Introducing Bob Arrington 02:47 Bob's Funeral Calling 03:59 Why Services Matter 08:57 Community Grief Ripples 11:53 Grief Support Resources 15:37 When Grief Becomes Physical 17:53 Funeral Process Explained 21:49 Preplanning Without Fear 27:45 Prepay vs Emotional Relief 31:05 Hospice and Final Takeaways 33:06 Contact and Closing https://www.nfda.org/ Link to Bob's episode "Death It's a Living" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3573530/ https://www.nfda.org/your-business/business-resources/remembering-a-life/have-the-talk-of-a-lifetime/conversation-cards/ If you want to help, you can donate to help support Hospice Explained at the Buy me a Coffee link https://www.buymeacoffee.com/Hospice Hospice Explained Affiliates & Contact Information Buying from these Affilite links will help support this Podcast. Maire introduces a partnership with Suzanne Mayer RN inventor of the cloud9caresystem.com, When patients remain in the same position for extended periods, they are at high risk of developing pressure injuries, commonly known as bedsores. One of the biggest challenges caregivers face is the tendency for pillows and repositioning inserts to easily dislodge during care.(Suzanne is a former guest on Episode #119) <p class="MsoN
About Hospice Explained
This is a podcast to Explain what is hospice. The goal of this show is to decrease fear and increase education for patients and their families during the end of life season. The show will also share some experiences and stories to help the listener understand what does Hospice mean, and how a person can help care for their loved one.
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