LifeCircle Australia in Sydney, Australia | Non-profit organisation

LifeCircle Australia

Locality: Sydney, Australia

Phone: +61 474 480 367

Address: Lvl 14, 5 Martin Pl 2000 Sydney, NSW, Australia

Website: www.lifecircle.org.au/free-session-lifecircle-guide

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• Non-profit organisation
• Social service

24.01.2022 BODY FARM To study how decomposing humans alter their natural environments, researchers are using a curious academic resource at the University of Tennessee: its so-called "body farm." The farm, part of UTs Anthropology Research Facility, is a 1.3-acre space where human remains are studied under different conditions, to see how they interact with the environment.

22.01.2022 Now, this is an amazing obituary!

22.01.2022 "Hello, my name is Rose and Im a LifeCircle Guide. In the space of just over 2 years 3 people in my family died. My experience made me realise that there is a need for someone to create a judgement-free space for caregivers. A space to share whatever is on their minds. One thats centred around their needs. And held by a person who shares a similar experience, but has the skills to be objective." Watch more of Roses story on YouTube.

22.01.2022 "When Susan had breast cancer, we heard a lot of lame remarks, but our favourite came from one of Susans colleagues. She wanted, she needed, to visit Susan after the surgery, but Susan didnt feel like having visitors, and she said so. Her colleagues response? This isnt just about you."

21.01.2022 "We now have the technology to create online avatars that can imitate a deceased persons speech and mannerisms, based off their digital footprint. Its a technology that raises questions about the borders between the living and the dead. Across culture and religion, rituals for grief and mourning vary greatly. Is it possible to translate these rituals to the online world? Why or why not?"

20.01.2022 An interesting read beautifully demonstrating the cultural differences in attitudes to aging and the elderly.

20.01.2022 An important message on the power of conversation to reverse our death denying culture, ultimately changing the last stages of life for all of us.

19.01.2022 When you take the time to manage your emotional needs, you will feel better able to care for someone else. We know it may seem impossible to find time for self-care, so here are a few tips for some small acts that could make a big difference. For more guidance on managing your emotions read: https://blog.lifecircle.org.au/suppor/dealing-with-emotions

15.01.2022 The last stages of someones life are about connection and intimacy. For those in the caregiving role, however, it can be hard to find a way to do fewer chores and more hand-holding. Here are a few ideas for how you might make space for quality time. For more read: https://blog.lifecircle.org.au//making-the-most-of-final-d

15.01.2022 What a wonderful idea?

14.01.2022 ACCOMPANYING EACH OTHER HOME A friend of mine describes traveling to visit a friend who was dying of breast cancer and in her final days: We had been very clos...e before she moved away, but I hadnt been in contact with her recently, my friend says. Id heard she was sick, but she was recovering and everything was fine. Then someone called to tell me shed been sicker, and shed had a stroke. I flew to see her right away. Things were pretty bleak when I got there. Her stomach was distended, and she was so still and pale, verging on bluish. She slept, mostly. The nurse said her organs were shutting down. I could sometimes see her grimace with pain as she slept, and would call to tell the nurses so theyd increase her meds. Ellie was a writer, but because of the stroke she had lost most of her vocabulary. The only words she seemed to be able to say were Wow, and Okay. But she was still in thereher face said everything. A chirpy woman whod been her visiting nurse came in and told her, Youre doing fine! Youll be home before you know it! And as soon as she left, Ellie looked at me and rolled her eyes. She knew. I hadnt known what to say, so I hadnt been talking about death with her. But now I could say, Yeah, that was weird. We both know youre not going home. She squeezed my hand and gave me a little smile. I think it was a relief to have someone around who wasnt pretending. Her husband Al was distraught, and he was still talking about When you come home, too. I could only stay a couple of days, and she was asleep for most of the time, but Id brought photo books of English gardens, and when she was awake, wed flip through them. Gardens were her idea of heaven. It was so hard to say goodbye. She looked so small, and so ill, in that bed. The amazing thing is that I had one more chance to talk to her. A day after I got home, I called her room to talk to her husband, and she picked up the phone and said hello. I was stunned. Ellie, how are you doing? I asked her. Ill never, ever forget what she said: I want to die, but I dont know how. I have no idea how she was able to speak those words. I was so startled I hardly knew what to say. I wished I could say something about heaven, but neither of us believed in that. I just started talking, and the words seemed to be there. Remember the gardens we looked at? I said, the ones that looked like the garden you had at home? You can just close your eyes and go there, just let go. Al will be okay. Hell be sad, but hell be okay. And the rest of us will be too. Just close your eyes and go to the garden. I thought I heard her say, Okay. She hung up before I could say goodbye, and she died that night. I will always be so grateful for that call. Dr. Charles Garfield; OUR WISDOM YEARS: GROWING OLDER WITH JOY, FULFILLMENT, RESILIENCE, AND NO REGRETS

14.01.2022 "Most people have never considered their death. On one hand, this is unbelievable in the literal sense. Everyone must die and we have all lost someone we love. But on the other hand, it is not unbelievable that in a glossy world that craves instant gratification, there is no pressing need to contemplate mortality, and the question of how to conduct ourselves at the end of life becomes so foreign as to be confronting."

13.01.2022 With all the conversations circulating about residential aged care we thought it was important to go back to basics. Here is some fundamental information on aged care, how to access it for a loved one and links to help you arrange an assessment.

12.01.2022 Self-compassion is an important tool in building resilience. Its also an effective counter to the inner critic who can often make us feel as though we arent doing enough.

12.01.2022 I never imagined working though plastic, doing my best to smile with my eyes since that is the only part of my face visible. I never imagined that I would think twice about a reassuring touch for my patients since every touch needs to be weighed with the risk of catching coronavirus.

12.01.2022 When we hold space for other people, we open our hearts, offer unconditional support, and let go of judgement and control. This can be an important part of the caregiver role for some people. Heres how it helped Heather as she cared for her mother.

12.01.2022 Seeing all older people as frail is an ageist image that needs to be challenged. One of the factors that make this image so hard to combat is the unthinking or lazy way that the media incessantly recycles pictures of older people with a cane, or close-ups of wrinkly hands, or an empty bed in palliative care, whenever reporting on old-age related topics.

11.01.2022 Though theres some debate about how long someone needs to grieve in order for it to be considered complicated, one things clear: If the grief is so severe its negatively impacting a persons life in a major way, it may be more serious than typical grief.

10.01.2022 You dont have to agree to empathize. Your loved one may surprise or puzzle you with the way he or she looks at deathand that may pose a particular sort of challenge to your empathy. Many of us on the cancer ward didnt know what to make of a remarkable young woman named Greta with an unusually sunny disposition. Greta was Swedish and had met her new husband while visiting relatives in the U.S. She married him, had a baby soon afterand then had been diagnosed with leukemia....Continue reading

10.01.2022 We are offering free Guided Support Programs to the next 10 people who respond. Over three sessions, you will receive personalised support from a trained LifeCircle Guide, who has has walked a similar path and understands what youre going through. Support programs are delivered by telephone; in the privacy and comfort of your own home; at a time that suits you best, and are free and confidential.... LifeCircle Australia has been supporting Australian families through the last stages of life for over 30 years. Message or comment if you need support See more

10.01.2022 Whether you have been caring for someone for a long period of time or have been thrust into the caring role quite suddenly, it is useful to know about the broad range of practical services designed to support you. Here are some essentials to help you on your way.

07.01.2022 Occasionally, she looked towards her son to supplement her answer, to clarify something she couldnt quite find the right words to describe. Each time her son was successful in filling in the blanks.

06.01.2022 Death is one of the only truly universal human experiences. Yet, for most of us, thinking about it is difficult and talking about it is harder still. However, talking about and preparing for this inevitable outcome can make you better able to care for your loved one. Read more about having open conversations here https://blog.lifecircle.org.au//having-open-honest-convers

06.01.2022 As a society we have allowed death to become a taboo subject, making it harder to deal with openly. Let this story inspire you to change convention and start sharing with those you love.

05.01.2022 "Herd immunity is not an option. Stay home, and stay sensible."

05.01.2022 NICU staff at Lake Charles Memorial Hospital worked through Category 4 storm that damaged the hospital despite some potentially having damage to their own homes... and a mandatory evacuation order. Over a dozen nurses and respiratory specialists are being hailed as heroes for protecting the babies through the storm. See more

04.01.2022 Interesting. . . . . .

04.01.2022 Music to remember by. . . . . . . .

03.01.2022 Every day, I prepare. I take a slew of medications and supplements. I go to this doctor, that psychic. I pray. I keep nitroglycerin in my car, in my backpack, by my bed. My hospital basics are packed. After eight heart attacks, I have learned to be ready.

02.01.2022 Understanding your loved ones preferences, and what services and organisations are available to help you support them, can be complex. Heres a simple introduction to locating the right help for you and your family.

01.01.2022 Dying2Learn is an online course that aims to enable Australians to be more comfortable talking about death and dying. The course is free and open to everyone in Australia. To sign up visit: www.caresearch.com.au/Dying2Learn