Living Well: The Oasis Podcast

In this episode of Living Well, I chat with Miranda Denler, Chaplain and Bereavement Coordinator at Oasis Hospice, to explore the profound work that can happen during life's difficult moments.Miranda shares her journey from ordained pastor to hospice chaplain, and shares about:What spiritual care truly means—and how it extends far beyond religionHow families experience grief before a loved one passes (anticipatory grief)Working with regret, forgiveness, and unfinished business at end of lifeThe interdisciplinary approach that surrounds patients and families with careHow caregivers can sustain themselves emotionally and spiritually while holding space for othersWhy everyone—even the non-religious—benefits from meeting with a chaplainWe close with a prayer for anyone walking through grief or seeking peace in uncertain seasons.Whether you're caring for a loved one, navigating your own journey, or simply wanting to understand what hospice spiritual support is really about, this conversation invites you to find meaning in the deepest parts of the human experience.Hosted by Toso; Living Well: The Oasis Podcast -------ABOUT OASIS HOSPICE:Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care is a CHAP-accredited, faith-based hospice serving the Chicago Southland. House of Goshen, our 14-bed inpatient facility in Flossmoor, Illinois, provides a place of peace, dignity, and refuge for patients and families.📞 Contact: (773) 941-4838🌐 Website: OasisHospice.us | HouseofGoshen.orgSubscribe for regular conversations with healthcare leaders, families, and the voices reshaping how we care for one another.Also check us out on YouTube, and sub there for more:https://www.youtube.com/@oasishospiceandpalliativeThere's Life in Hospice!

Reverend Carlene Appel has been working in hospice for over 20 years as a chaplain and pet therapist, and with that experience, comes perspective. In our conversation today on Living Well, "Rev" as we often call her shares her view of how hospice care supports the body, mind, spirit, and soul. She reflects on the meaning of chaplaincy, clears up common myths around spiritual care, and explains why presence and compassion matter so deeply at end-of-life. The episode also highlights the unique role pet therapy can play in a holistic care plan, and features the lovely pup herself in miniature spurts.(If you hear a doggo politely breathing or getting a few ear scratches in the background, please do not be alarmed.)Welcome to Living Well: The Oasis Podcast.----ABOUT OASIS HOSPICE:Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care is a CHAP-accredited, faith-based hospice serving the Chicago Southland. House of Goshen, our 14-bed inpatient facility in Flossmoor, Illinois, provides a place of peace, dignity, and refuge for patients and families.📞 Contact: (773) 941-4838🌐 Website: OasisHospice.us | HouseofGoshen.orgSubscribe for monthly conversations with healthcare leaders, families, and the voices reshaping how we care for one another in life's most sacred moments.Also check us out on YouTube, and sub there for more:https://www.youtube.com/@oasishospiceandpalliativeOr for the full episode with Reverend Carlene: https://youtu.be/K1dvwL7Ajvs 

"Hospice care is truly my first love."In this episode, we sit down with Nadira Muhammad, Director of Psychosocial at Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care, to explore the invisible work that transforms hospice care—emotional support, family dynamics, grief, and the relational side of end-of-life care.Too many families think hospice is only about pain management. But what happens when you address the emotional, spiritual, and relational needs alongside medical care?Nadira walks families through anticipatory grief, navigates difficult family conversations, coordinates care across our interdisciplinary team, and helps stabilize entire families during their most vulnerable moments. This is the first episode in our three-part series on psychosocial care.In this conversation:What psychosocial support actually is (and why families often resist it)How emotional distress impacts physical comfortNavigating family conflict and difficult conversations at end of lifeCultural competency and meeting families where they areAnticipatory grief and the emotional work of dyingBereavement support before and after deathWhy this work is ministry, not just medicineAbout Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care:CHAP-accredited, faith-based hospice serving the Chicago Southland. House of Goshen is our 14-bed inpatient sanctuary in Flossmoor, Illinois.📞 (773) 941-4838🌐 OasisHospice.us | HouseofGoshen.orgSubscribe for weekly conversations about whole-person care and what it means to live well.#HospiceCare #PsychosocialCare #EndOfLifeCare #Caregiver #FamilySupport #Grief

"Hospice isn't a place you go to die; it's a way to ensure the final chapter of life is written with dignity, peace, and presence."In this episode of Living Well: The Oasis Podcast, we tackle one of the most misunderstood statistics in healthcare: why the median hospice stay in the U.S. is just 24 days.We dive into the systemic and emotional barriers that often prevent families from accessing the "gift" of hospice until the very end.Drawing from the latest FY 2026 CMS regulations, we explore how late referrals impact patient care and why earlier access is the key to truly holistic support. In this conversation, we discuss:The 24-Day Reality: Breaking down the median length of stay and what it reveals about our healthcare system.The "Too Late" Burden: Why fear and misconceptions keep families from calling hospice until a crisis hits.Workforce & Regulation: How the FY 2026 Final Rule and staffing shortages are shaping the future of end-of-life care.Reframing Hope: Shifting the narrative from "giving up" to "living intentionally" with 24/7 skilled support.The Oasis Difference: How our House of Goshen IPU provides a sanctuary for those needing immediate, high-acuity care.Advice for Families: Why the best time to talk about hospice is before you think you need it.ABOUT OASIS HOSPICE:Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care is a CHAP-accredited, faith-based hospice serving the Chicago Southland. House of Goshen, our 14-bed inpatient facility in Flossmoor, Illinois, provides a place of peace, dignity, and refuge for patients and families.📞 Contact: (773) 941-4838🌐 Website: OasisHospice.us | HouseofGoshen.orgSubscribe for monthly conversations with healthcare leaders, families, and the voices reshaping how we care for one another in life's most sacred moments.TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Introduction: The 24-Day Statistic 2:15 - Understanding the FY 2026 Final Rule 5:45 - Why Late Referrals Happen 9:10 - The Clinical Impact of Short Stays 12:30 - How Oasis Bridges the Gap 15:00 - Closing: Quality Over QuantityDisclosure: This episode of Living Well was produced with the assistance of artificial intelligence using Google's NotebookLM. The content is derived from verified Oasis Hospice & Palliative Care clinical resources and has been reviewed by our team to ensure it meets our standards of educational authority and excellence

Meet Chineze (Nezzie).She started with us at Oasis Hospice late last year, and a few weeks ago celebrated her first Nurses Week with us Hospice. Nezzie is a star on our clinical team, and in this short conversation, she talks about what drew her to the work of hospice nurse — and why, after just a short time, she's found something she didn't expect: the joy of connecting with people from all walks of life. If you're a nurse considering hospice care, or just curious about what the work actually looks like; start here. YouTube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=82zMeAuQ2jg -------Also, we're hiring... Admissions RN, IPU Nurse, and On-Call RN positions available. Learn more: www.oasishospice.us/careers Call: (773) 941-4838 or email [email protected] #HospiceNursing #NursesWeek #OasisHospice #Nursing #EndOfLifeCare #ChicagoSouthland