Overview

This book, written from practical experience, offers reflections on relationships within the nursing home, particularly at the time of a resident's death. Building on their previous very popular book, Unique and Ordinary, the authors offer fresh insights together with practical implications for improved quality of care. The stories capture the humorous, the sad, the poignant, and the down-to-earth realities of living and dying in a nursing home; the stories include exemplars as well as gaps in care. Residents, families, staff, visiting health professionals, pastoral carers and volunteers have provided their own unique contribution to this reflection on practice. Their wisdom offers encouragement to all engaged in this rewarding work, to reflect and learn from their experience.

The book is finely illustrated with poignant photographs of residents. The photographer, Michel Faber, is a nurse who knew and cared for the residents in this nursing home.