“When I get out of here, I’m going to hunt you down and chop you up into little pieces!” were the words spoken to Kay Adams by a juvenile offender in the corrections facility where she worked. Those words became the catalyst for her to wake up to her true calling: being a bedside witness and companion to patients and their caregivers. In Bedside Witness , Adams shares stories from her twenty-year journey in hospice, geriatric mental health, palliative care, and dementia coaching. Through the intimate lens as a social worker, Kay artfully draws us into these heartfelt tales as if she were sitting with us at our kitchen table, tenderly weaving the laughter, grief, wonder, wisdom, and tragedy of our shared human experience. "It is said that each time a story is told, it breathes life into the culture. In Bedside Witness , Kay Adams brings out the dignity of her patients and families through their stories. She shows us that humanness transcends aging, dementia, and illness and that our culture is filled with the many colors of life behind the doors and walls of hospice and dementia care." —Amelia Schafer, Senior Director, Alzheimer's Association "Kay Adams shows us that illness, disease, and ultimately death offer us unlimited gifts if we are able to open our hearts along the way. Through Kay's eyes, we are able to see that rather than fear what lies ahead, we have the opportunity to embrace the journey." —Karl J. Shackelford, MDiv, BCC, Founder, We Grieve " Bedside Witness should be required reading for anyone in the fields of hospice, geriatrics, mental health, palliative care, and dementia. Through her stories, Kay Adams shows us that being a witness and companion goes far beyond checking off boxes. It requires sitting with, listening to, and understanding those we serve." —Tracy Ellen Lippard, MD, FACP, Internal and Geriatric Medicine "Kay Adams writes about caregiving, dementia, and the end of life with a deep compassion that shines off the page and warms your heart. Bedside Witness is for caregivers who are looking for a sign that they are not alone as they hold their loved one's hand through the most difficult journey imaginable, and for anyone—social worker, nurse, aide, therapist, doctor—who wants to understand the experience of patients in memory care or hospice and their caregivers." —Amy Delpo, Librarian and Caregiver "Kay Adams is the perfect voice to bring a powerful understanding to the impact dementia can have on people living with the illness, their families, and caregivers. Her compassionate look at navigating these life-changing moments is inspiring and educational." —Cynthia James, Bestselling Author and International Speaker, President and CEO, Cynthia James Enterprises "Kay's stories envelope you as you witness the extraordinary, honest, and difficult moments that others go through during one of life's most challenging times. Glimpses into Kay's gift with people bring you through a rainbow of emotions and leave you with a heartfelt desire to offer companionship and support to others when they need it most." —Lindsy Moore, PharmD, Geriatric Pharmacy Specialist "Having watched my mother slip away from the effects of dementia, Bedside Witness brought comfort, knowing that other families like mine have survived this loss with a sense of humility and heart. Through her stories, Kay illustrates the commonalities we share as human beings, families, and caregivers and draws on those connections with bright colors to inspire us all." —Mary Gaul, Caregiver, Owner of Success Magnified Business Coaching "Kay is a storytelling alchemist with an extraordinary gift that teaches and inspires. Her firsthand accounts of persons living with serious illnesses and their loved ones are transformed into powerful testaments of humility and compassion. Kay captures what matters most: an essential skill of a palliative care social worker." —Melissa Coleman Palmer, LCSW, JD, Palliative Care Specialist—University of Colorado