Dana Plish

I have been employed as a social worker for 35 years, and have spent the majority of this time working in hospitals, nursing homes, and hospice care. The past 21 years I have been employed as a social worker in hospice care providing psychosocial support to patients and family members. I have served as an active participant in the lives of individuals who have suffered and battled chronic illness or experienced a sudden life changing trauma. I have learned that individuals who are facing the loss of a loved one, often find themselves lacking information about what to expect and how to cope with life as their family members face the dying process.

I wrote The Dying Process - A Hospice Social Worker's Perspective On End Of Life Care as a way of providing information to people in need of guidance about what to expect during this life transition, and how to prepare and cope with the anticipated loss of a loved one. As a patient or family member it easy to become overwhelmed in the torrent of change that often occurs during the transition from an aggressive model of care to a comfort focus. It is my intention to offer insight about this change and support quality of life, patient and family closure and a peaceful and comfortable death process.

My book, The Dying Process - Facing The Loss Of A Loved One was written to help provide a simple, easy to understand guide, for end of life care. I discuss life support measures and withdrawal of artificial treatments, and look closely at the various settings in which death most often occurs. I give an overview of body system changes such as breathing, heart rate, pain and comfort needs, in the final weeks, days, and hours of life. The focus of this book is to help offer understanding of what to expect during the dying process, and reduce the fear and anxiety associated with watching a loved one pass away.

It is my hope that these books will help to provide insight about the dying process and offer a comfort focus of compassion and dignity for all who are facing the death of a loved one.

In my personal journey as a believer in Christ I self published, Mavis Creek which is a lighthearted adventure story for people of all ages.

Thank you!

Dana Plish