Where Presence Meets The End Of Life (w/guest Jay McDonald)

The room changes when a hospice nurse walks in—not because the end is near, but because presence arrives. Jay McDonald has built houses and built care plans, and today he opens up about what decades of life and years at the bedside have taught him about dignity, acceptance, and the choices that actually matter.

We get clear on the difference between home health and hospice: one aims to restore strength after a hospital stay, the other centers comfort, symptom relief, and connection when cure is no longer the goal. Jay shares what families most need to hear—why appetite fades at the end of life, how comfort meds like morphine reduce suffering without “starting the end,” and why so many patients speak peacefully with loved ones who have already passed. He talks about the relief that comes with life review, when people tell the truth about regrets and milestones so their families can heal with them, not after them.

We also explore how to show up better for the living. Jay’s approach is deceptively simple: be present, listen actively, hold confidences, and let judgment pass through without steering your actions. He leans on faith and mindfulness, using short breathing practices and guided meditations to return to the moment where things are “okay enough” to keep going. We highlight community resources—from volunteer vigils like No One Dies Alone to meal and respite support—that help caregivers endure the marathon of care with their humanity intact.

If you’re navigating serious illness, weighing treatment side effects against quality of life, or caring for someone you love, this conversation offers clarity and calm. Tap play, share with a friend who needs it, and if this helped, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find their footing when it matters most.


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