Our titles combine practical guidance with compassion, clarity, and hope so you can make informed decisions during life's most important transitions.
Dying a natural death—comfortably, peacefully, and with dignity—is one of life's most meaningful experiences, yet it remains one of the least understood. Few of us want to talk about death, yet every one of us will face it. Many will also find themselves caring for a dying loved one.
Dying Well with Hospice shines a light on this important topic by:
Co-authored by the spouse of a hospice patient and a hospice professional, Dying Well with Hospice addresses the fears and misunderstandings surrounding death while offering tools for making this time one of love, presence, and purpose.
This book dispels the myth that choosing hospice means “giving up.” Instead, it shows how embracing hospice care can bring peace and meaningful connection—allowing patients to live fully, on their own terms, until the end. Practical, heartfelt, and deeply human, this book provides essential guidance for one of life's most critical passages—for yourself and for those you love.
For more than twenty-five years, Paula Wrenn worked as a freelance writer for businesses, newspapers, and magazines.
Older adults, caregiving, aging well, and hospice are among the many topics she covered based on earlier experiences as an elder-care business owner and a long-standing volunteer for local organizations serving seniors. She also served as chairman of her local nonprofit healthcare center.
Paula has assisted several members of her family through the transition from life to peaceful death.
She believes those who go before us provide valuable insights and guidance about living and dying.
“Caregiving for a loved one is challenging and stressful at times, but the rewards are immeasurable. Dying Well with Hospice is about validating the importance of the end of life and helping families discover the spiritual and emotional benefits that can be attained by supporting a loved one in this most important journey—their transition to the next realm.”
As a child, Jo Gustely was fascinated by taboo subjects including séances, death, and true ghost stories. Along the way, she considered careers as a mortician and forensic pathologist.
As a young adult, she changed careers from ESL teacher to nursing. After obtaining her BA from UC Berkeley, she earned her BSN from Emory University. Since 1985, she has been a post-surgical nurse, a home care nurse, a corporate occupational nurse, and a public health nurse. Jo became a hospice nurse in Northern California in 2005. For her, hospice provides a perfect balance of challenges and benefits, including the opportunity to interact with different cultures and work alongside inspiring team members from different disciplines outside the hospital setting.
Competently and compassionately problem-solving to alleviate difficult symptoms for hospice clients is among the most rewarding aspects of her work. She has witnessed many awe-inspiring moments of psycho-spiritual renewal for clients nearing the end of life and has been present for profound expressions of family affection, love, and support.
“Most people think it is a calling to be a hospice nurse, and I would say that I felt called to do this work because of the frequency with which I am privileged to share momentous experiences in people’s lives.”