Hospice of the Chesapeake will dive into continuum of care that surrounds people living with life-limiting illness when it premieres its second podcast series, “Life, Death and What Matters In Between,” on June 1. Hosted by Hospice of the Chesapeake’s Director of Strategic Partnerships Perry Limes, the goal of the podcast is to tell the story of “the dash.”
“There are two dates on your tombstone … the date of your birth and the date of your death. The dash in between those two dates represents your life. What you do with that dash is what matters most,” Perry said. “What matters in between shapes our views and impacts our decisions and the others around us. It’s especially important when you have a life-limiting condition or advanced illness.”
In this first season of the series, Limes and his guests will discuss the continuum of care for those living with dementia – from supportive care, also known as palliative care, to hospice care and then grief care. The episodes feature conversations with professionals, family members and clinicians discussing the journey with dementia using a hypothetical patient at the center of the discussion. Limes and his guests talk about how Joe, a 66-year-old Black retired schoolteacher living with dementia; his wife and caregiver, Veronica; and their three grown daughters; can be empowered to have a better quality of life, even at the end.
The podcast, which can be found at www.iheart.com/podcast/53-life-death-and-what-matters-95585541, has six episodes. The schedule is as follows:
- June 1: A conversation about the continuum of care and how supportive and hospice care can help dementia patients and their families with Hospice of the Chesapeake Chief Medical Officer Dr. Eric Bush.
- June 8: A conversation with Jessica Whittemore, a social worker with Hospice of the Chesapeake, about the necessity of advance care planning and how to deal with the challenging behaviors that can come with dementia.
- June 15: A conversation with Joshua Vickery, CEO of Encore Creativity about the importance of music in our lives and it can be utilized as a treatment for those suffering from memory disorders.
- June 22: A conversation with Cathleen Rawlings and Alice Jo Weaver who share their stories about their personal experiences of caring for a loved one diagnosed with dementia.
- June 29: A conversation with Maresa Henry, executive director of Spring Arbor in Severna Park, about how assisted living centers, especially those with memory care, can be a valuable resource to families and loved ones of individuals living with dementia.
- July 6: A conversation with Malcolm Augustine, Maryland State Senator for the 47th District in Prince George’s County how legislation can help individuals with a dementia diagnosis and support their families.
The podcast is part of the nonprofit’s community outreach and education programming, which is made possible by the generous support of the John and Cathy Belcher Institute. The organization’s first podcast, “Grief from the Other Side,” can be found at www.iheart.com/podcast/263-grief-from-the-other-side-76585255.
Perry Limes, host of “Life, Death and What Matters In Between” Podcast
