Frances Shani Parker's Blog (11)

For those who enjoy writing, hospice work can be a great source of inspiration. I have always been fascinated by the written word and the impact it has on readers. As I became more involved with hospice volunteering in Detroit nursing homes, I found myself writing poetry and prose about my experiences.

During poetry readings at various venues, I noticed that people approached me often to discuss a loved one who had been terminally ill. They seemed relieved to talk to someone…

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An eldercare consultant, I’ve been a hospice volunteer in inner-city Detroit nursing homes for many years. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that death will come when it comes. Grappling with death and all its trappings can be so much easier when it’s approached like any other important life event. Preparation includes following a workable plan that brings comforting closure when that earthly destination is reached. These ten steps on a journey featuring scenic routes will lead to… Continue

San Jose State University's Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest honors bad writing. Listen and read this NPR account by the winner, David McKenzie of Federal Way, Wash., who beat out hundreds of entries from around the world for crafting the worst-written beginning to an imaginary novel.



http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106114395&ft=1&f=1032



Frances Shani Parker, Author…

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This death ritual is an excerpt from my book Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes, which shares my insights and hospice volunteer experiences in Detroit nursing homes. In a chapter titled "Death Sentences," I relate the fascinating end-of-life journey of my hospice patient named Lelia. The afterlife is referred to as the Other Side of Through. Because Lelia had very little family support, the hospice chaplain organized her death ritual, which concluded in… Continue

Review: Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes by Frances Shani Parker

Publisher: Loving Healing Press…

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My book Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes concludes each chapter with an original poem. I was inspired to write this…

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The following true conversation is from my book "Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes.” I am talking with Nat, my hospice patient, who is a veteran of the Viet Nam war. His story is typical of… Continue

In my book "Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes,” I share hospice volunteer experiences I had while working with patients in Detroit nursing homes. Many patients had… Continue

This article was published by WWJ Newsradio Detroit:





Local Volunteer and Writer Seeks to Spread the Truth About Hospice



Anne Osmer Reporting



Detroiter Frances Shani Parker didn’t plan on becoming a hospice volunteer, but despite a self-described “lack of interest in the medical field,” that’s what ended up… Continue

The holidays can be a troubling time for many who are grieving the loss of loved ones. Through the years, people associate holiday traditions with familiar people and places. My book "Becoming Dead Right: A… Continue

Book Review: "Becoming Dead Right: A Hospice Volunteer in Urban Nursing Homes" (Loving Healing Press)

Author: Frances Shani Parker

Book Reviewer: Dr. Peter A. Lichtenberg, Director, Institute of Gerontology,… Continue