At 86, Carol Saline communicated these sentiments to her inner circle of closest friends’ weeks before she succumbed to acute myeloid leukemia on August 30, 2025. She widened her reach by contacting obituary reporters too. Carol wanted to be interviewed about her life and her imminent death. She wanted to participate in her own wake.
What can we learn from this woman who forged a professional path unique to women of her generation.? As a journalist and New York Times best- selling author, she pushed the glass ceiling to new heights. She fought against sexism and early on confronted her employer when asked to work for free because: “she didn’t need the money like the men”.
Why would anyone be surprised that she confronted her own death as directly as she lived with curiosity, acceptance, and control, remaining true to her identity as a journalist and a unique human being. Carol had much to teach us, not only about death, but primarily about a life lived powerfully until her last breath.
While Carol was not our client, she reminds us of the many special people we have met at Complete Care Strategies through the years. Empowering our clients is what we do, but their contribution to each of us transcends the care we provide.
Please read Carol’s Obituary, written by her as it appeared in The New York Times and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
About the Author
As CEO of Complete Care Strategies, Rebecca Roskey-Brunner leverages over 20 years of experience as a Registered Nurse and Certified Care Manager to serve clients with special needs, the medically complex, and older adults facing health challenges to improve their quality of life. As an Aging Life Care Professional, Rebecca brings deep expertise in individualized care planning, dementia care, care coordination, and crisis prevention for vulnerable seniors.