Caring for Donor Families

Overview

Compassionate advice for helping families through the difficult process of organ donation

Designed to help caregivers meet the unique needs of donor families, this resource contains both practical and personal information for everyone involved with the donation experience. Topics such as helping families come to terms with brain death, facilitating the donation discussion, opening communication, and providing support in the months and years following the death are explained in detail. In addition to technical details involving consent, the donor families’ spiritual needs are also explored, such as integrating personal rituals and honoring the family's final moments with their loved one.

Author Biography

RaeLynn Maloney works with the Iowa Donor Network as an educator and donor family support coordinator. She lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Alan D. Wolfelt is an educator, a grief counselor, and the author of the Healing Your Grieving Heart series. He lives in Ft. Collins, Colorado.