EOLPodcast

Ep. 455 Briefly Perfectly Human with Alua Arthur

kwyattmd

Learn about a powerful NY Times bestselling memoir that teaches how acknowledging our mortality helps us live a more authentic life.

My guest Alua Arthur is the founder of Going With Grace, a death doula training and end-of-life planning organization. She is a frequent guest on television and radio and has been featured on CBS’s The Doctors and in Disney’s Limitless docu-series with Chris Hemsworth. Alua is the author of the recently published NY Times bestseller Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End. She shares her story of how she was inspired to learn more about death and teach others how to live fully in the face of our mortality. Learn more at Alua’s website:

goingwithgrace.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The value of authenticity in memoir-writing
  • How life prepares us for the work we are meant to do
  • How a single conversation shifted the path of Alua’s life
  • What inspired Alua to get training as a death doula
  • Creating better boundaries as we do this work with people at the end of life
  • Compassion allows us to honor another person’s journey without trying to control it
  • How death doula work can be financially viable
  • Why education of the public is an essential foundation for the work we are doing
  • How the “death-space” is welcoming to diverse people with a wide variety of skills

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Sara Badano. Also thank you to Karen Shapiro for donating through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 454 Empowered Endings: Changing the Landscape of End-of-Life Care with Bob Uslander MD

kwyattmd

Learn about an innovative model for compassionate end-of-life care that meets the needs of individuals and communities.

My guest Dr. Bob Uslander is the co-founder, with his wife Elizabeth, of Empowered Endings, a unique palliative and end-of-life care model addressing the physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual needs of patients and families. He discusses the flexible model of care he created and how it functions to assist people who don’t qualify for hospice as well as those who are receiving hospice care but need additional services. Learn more at his website:

empoweredendings.com

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Dr. Bob’s journey from emergency medicine to hospice and palliative care
  • How recognizing gaps in the healthcare system inspired the work Dr. Bob is doing today
  • The importance of end-of-life doulas for restoring balance to the care that is offered to people
  • The types of patients served by Empowered Endings
  • How his team supports patients utilizing medical aid in dying
  • The lack of home-based palliative care is an issue in most communities
  • Concerns that some doctors may not offer adequate support to patients and families choosing medical aid in dying
  • How his foundation offers free bereavement support to families of loved ones who have utilized medical aid in dying

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Beth. Also thank you to Marie Nelson and Laura Lee for donating through Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 453 Gravestone Recipes: Cooking to Honor the Dead with Rosie Grant

kwyattmd

Learn about Rosie Grant’s unique project to memorialize those who have died by cooking their special recipes.

My guest Rosie Grant has a library science degree from the University of Maryland and now works at UCLA as an archivist. She is well known on social media as a “cemetery tiktoker” who researches recipes found on gravestones in cemeteries across the U.S. She shares her story and how she began to collect these gravestone recipes and cook them to honor the people who left them behind. We also discuss the value of exploring cemeteries and the treasures that can be found there. Learn more at her website and social media sites:

ghostlyarchive.com

Instagram: @ghostlyarchive

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Rosie got interested in gathering gravestone recipes
  • The benefits of visiting cemeteries as part of travel
  • Rosie’s inspiration to visit the gravestones she has learned about and to prepare the recipes she has found there
  • How food is connected to death and grief
  • How Rosie finds gravestone recipes to cook
  • Other interesting cemetery discoveries Rosie has made
  • Talking about gravestone recipes is a less threatening way to approach the subject of death and dying
  • How she finds gravestones that contain recipes

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 452 Funeral Planning, After-Death Care, and Healthy Grief with Jokotifa Alaye

kwyattmd

Learn how planning ahead for after-death care can help loved ones with grief and loss.

My guest Jokotifa Alaye is a licensed funeral professional and NEDA certified end-of-life doula with a focus on grief. She created Mourning Space to fill the gaps in education and support that society requires for healthy grieving. She discusses the importance of funeral planning as a gift for loved ones, finding a funeral director or celebrant who can help carry out your wishes, and how to foster empowered grieving. Learn more at her website:

mourningspace.com

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Jokotifa’s path to becoming a funeral director and death doula
  • Why she focuses on empowered grieving through Mourning Space
  • Why deathcare providers need better training about grief
  • Why rituals at the end of life are important
  • What to do if a loved one refuses a funeral
  • How and why to plan your own funeral in advance
  • Each state and country has unique laws about funerals and disposition
  • What hospice providers should know about the removal process to support the family after death
  • How to have conversations with loved ones about funeral preferences

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 451 Filling the Gaps in End-of-Life Care with Kaishauna Guidry MD

kwyattmd

Learn how a physician creatively meets the needs of patients who don’t qualify for hospice services.

My guest Dr. Kaishauna Guidry is an author, podcaster, healthcare advocate, mentor and educator. She came to medicine and hospice later in her career and founded Mourning Dove Medical as a private mobile medical practice, serving home-bound patients at the late stages of life and she is the author of The Real Deal About Hospice: Short Stories Highlighting the Advantages of Hospice Care for Patients and Families. She discusses her path to this work, her books and podcast, and how she coaches physicians who want to begin working with hospice. Learn more about her work at her website:

mourningdovemedical.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why Dr. G started a mobile medical practice
  • Why some patients get discharged from hospice
  • How Dr. G provides continuity of care for people who no longer qualify for hospice care
  • How she guides people who are “pre-hospice” to do advance care planning and to be prepared for hospice when the timing is right
  • How Dr. G educates physicians about working with hospice and palliative care
  • What the book The Real Deal About Hospice teaches patients and their families
  • Why we still need more education about hospice for the general public and the medical community
  • What is the “hospice lifestyle”

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors James Reinders, Karen, and Susan Wright. Also thank you to Frederick Marx for buying me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 450 Death Doula World Training Day with Suzanne O’Brien RN

kwyattmd

Learn about a movement with a goal to train 1 million death doulas around the world.

My guest Suzanne O’Brien RN is the founder and CEO of Doulagivers Institute and a pioneer in the global death doula movement. She was awarded Worldwide Leader in Healthcare by the International Nurse Association and named Humanitarian Ambassador for Oprah Magazine in 2019. She discusses her experiences bringing death doula trainings to an international audience and her goal to train 1 million people to be death doulas. Learn more at her website:

doulagivers.com

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Suzanne ended up becoming a hospice nurse and then creating Doulagivers Institute
  • Following intuition to find our path
  • Gaps that exist in hospice care, including that families don’t receive training for caring for a loved one
  • Why we need the Good Death Campaign to train 1 million people as death doulas
  • The benefits of having a “roadmap” for the end of life
  • How Death Doula World Training Day will benefit the end-of-life movement in Guatemala
  • What Suzanne learned about life and death on a trip to Zimbabwe
  • The greatest lesson Suzanne has learned from working with the dying
  • There’s a huge need for death doulas now and in the future
  • The need for death doulas to do community education

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, and thank you to Påivi Vallo for your donation on Paypal. Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 449 Open to Love: Senior Dating After Loss and Grief with Drs. Gloria Horsley and Frank Powers

kwyattmd

Learn about an informative and inspirational book to help seniors find love in their lives after experiencing loss through death or divorce.

My special guests this week, Drs. Gloria Horsley and Frank Powers, are a senior couple who met later in life, after experiencing loss. Gloria is a marriage and family therapist and Frank is a psychologist so between them they possess a lot of knowledge about grief, loss and relationships, including the deadly impact of loneliness on seniors in our society. Together they’ve written the book Open to Love: The Secrets of Senior Dating, which springs from their own experience of meeting and falling in love through a senior dating app. They share their tips and suggestions for seniors looking for love and facing the challenge of dating after a long-term relationship. Learn more at their websites:

opentohope.com

goldendatingdoctors.com

Get the book

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The value of senior dating for alleviating loneliness and isolation in later life
  • What seniors need to know about the current dating world
  • Tips for trying an online dating app for the first time
  • The most important qualities to look for in a later life partner
  • Advice for later life partners whose children are not supportive of their new relationship
  • How seniors in a new relationship might discuss difficult issues such as finances, caregiving expectations and end-of-life preparations
  • What senior couples should consider before deciding whether or not to marry

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, and thank you to Leslie for buying me a coffee and everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 448 Human-Centered Design for End-of-Life and After-Death Care with Isabel Knight

kwyattmd

Learn how the concept of human-centered design can improve how we care for people at end of life and also how we operate our businesses.

My guest Isabel Knight is a human-centered designer and end-of-life guide who founded The Death Designer to provide design services for deathcare businesses and non-profits. She is also the president of the National Home Funeral Alliance, which teaches people about community deathcare and how to conduct a funeral from home. She discusses her work as an end-of-life guide, home funerals, and the concept of human-centered design. Learn more at these websites:

thedeathdesigner.com

homefuneralalliance.org

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What the National Home Funeral Alliance provides
  • Why home funerals are important
  • How funeral homes can help support community deathcare
  • What is human-centered design and why it’s important
  • The power of simple small changes to make a difference
  • Designing products and systems for the needs of the most vulnerable people benefits everyone
  • Challenges facing end-of-life care from the perspective of a young person
  • The need for a business model for death doulas
  • Potential changes coming to the “Funeral Rule” to increase transparency around funeral home prices

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Kelly G. and Yuka Itahashi. Also thank you to Pradeep Berry and Kathleen Lynch for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 447 Compassionate Communities and End-of-Life Care with Elizabeth Johnson, Erin Collins and Qwynn Galloway-Salazar

kwyattmd

Learn about a powerful international model that calls for a public health approach to end-of-life care and how we are championing it in the U.S.

This week I am hosting three guests who are my collaborators in a “think tank” on the Compassionate Communities Model: Elizabeth Johnson and Erin Collins of The Peaceful Presence Project and Qwynn Galloway-Salazar, creator of the Caring for Veterans Through the End-of-Life Series. We discuss the need for a Compassionate Communities approach to end-of-life care here in the U.S. and offer resources and ideas for spreading this model throughout the country. Learn more at:

compassionatecommunities.us

View handout below or download here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How the four of us came together as a “think tank”
  • What is a Compassionate Community
  • Brief history of the compassionate community model
  • How this model could benefit end-of-life care in the U.S. in general
  • How the compassionate community approach can help us address specific issues: community death education (especially in rural areas), veteran care, caregiver crisis
  • “End-of-Life Friendly Criteria” as a simple tool to assess and map our communities
  • Public Health Palliative Care International (PHPCI) as a resource
  • FREE presentation on Compassionate Communities Model available May 1, 2024 (email with May 1st in the subject line: info@thepeacefulpresenceproject.org)

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Penny Amyot and Amy Wilson. Also thank you to Anonymous for buying me a cup of coffee, Paullette MacDougal for sending a donation by mail and to everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 446 “The Last Ecstatic Days:” How to Die Without Fear with Aditi Sethi-Brown MD

kwyattmd

Learn about THE LAST ECSTATIC DAYS, a film about a young man with brain cancer in search of community, and the hospice doctor who gives up everything to honor his dying wish.

My guest Dr. Aditi Sethi-Brown is a hospice and palliative care physician, end-of-life doula, and musician. She is the founder and executive director of the Center for Conscious Living and Dying and an emerging and important voice for shifting our cultures understanding and approach to dying, death, and bereavement care. She discusses the documentary film The Last Ecstatic Days, which features her work with a very special patient at the end of his life. Learn more at the following websites:

aditisethimd.com

ccld.community

thelastecstaticdaysmovie.com

Register for screening

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Ethan Sisser’s journey and how Aditi came to work with him
  • What inspired the making of The Last Ecstatic Days
  • How Ethan served as a teacher for others during his life and in his dying process
  • How Ethan called together a community of people willing to help care for him as he was dying
  • The power of social media that Ethan harnessed throughout his journey after his diagnosis
  • How Aditi was inspired to start the Center for Conscious Living and Dying after caring for Ethan
  • The upcoming screenings for the film and how to register

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Amy Morgan. Also thank you to Dawn Briskey for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLU Blog

Blog: The Last Ecstatic Days Trailer

kwyattmd

THE LAST ECSTATIC DAYS is a film about a young man with brain cancer in search of community, and the hospice doctor who gives up everything to honor his dying wish.

To learn more…

Visit the film’s website: www.thelastecstaticdaysmovie.com

Subscribe to THE LAST ECSTATIC DAYS on YouTube:  http://tiny.cc/TheLastEcstaticDaysSub

Follow THE LAST ECSTATIC DAYS on Instagram: https://bit.ly/TheLastEcstaticDays-IG

Like THE LAST ECSTATIC DAYS on Facebook: https://bit.ly/TheLastEcstaticDays-FB

Virtual Screening with Karen Wyatt MD

March 24th 4 PM Pacific

REGISTER HERE

EOLPodcast

Ep. 445 Grief and Bereavement on the Hospice Journey with Barbara Karnes RN

kwyattmd

Learn about grief from the perspective of two hospice providers on their personal experiences of loss.

This week I’m happy to be speaking once again to my recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care and the dynamics of dying. Barbara is the author of “the little blue book” used by hospices around the world to teach families what to expect as their loved one dies. She is also the author of My Friend, I Care, a book about grief that she designed to be used as a sympathy card. She discusses the bereavement support that is a required benefit of hospice care and we delve deeply into our own grief experiences and what we learned from them. Learn more about Barbara’s work at her website:

bkbooks.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What hospices are required to provide for bereavement care
  • Why grievers may not attend bereavement groups offered by hospices
  • How hospice volunteers can be helpful with bereavement
  • Why some grievers may prefer more solitude and less interaction with others in the early days after a death
  • Learning how to live without a loved one who has died is the ongoing work of grief
  • The grief we learned about in textbooks is not the same as the real experience of deep grief
  • Why support groups may be more helpful later in the grief process
  • Anticipatory grief that occurs from the moment of diagnosis
  • Journaling as a tool for grieving
  • How our grief experiences can be sacred to us

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Jenny and Kristine. Also thank you to Jean for buying me a coffee and everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 444 Contemplative Practices for Death and Grief with Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison

kwyattmd

Learn about contemplative practices for medical providers offered by the NY Zen Center for Contemplative Care.

My guest Koshin Paley Ellison is an author, Zen teacher, and Jungian psychotherapist. He co-founded the New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care, which offers contemplative approaches to care through education, personal caregiving, and Zen practice. Koshin is also the co-editor of Awake at the Bedside: Contemplative Teachings on Palliative and End of Life Care. He discusses his work with people who are dying and grieving and the life lessons he has learned. For more information visit the website:

zencare.org

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Awake at the Bedside as a tool for caregivers and death professionals
  • Lessons learned during the AIDS epidemic
  • Koshin’s experience caring for his grandmother at the end of her life
  • The importance of curiosity in life and at the end of it
  • The lack of contemplative practice in Western medicine
  • Daily question: Am I actually living according to my values?
  • NY Zen Center’s Contemplative Medicine Fellowship
  • The importance of understand suffering and how to be with it
  • How the mystery of life is actually part of the medicine of life

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Michelle Wickum and Robin Bissell. Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 443 Combatting Social Isolation: An Intergenerational Approach with Jeremy Holloway PhD

kwyattmd

Learn how an innovative curriculum is tackling loneliness and social isolation in older adults and bridging the generation gap.

My guest Dr. Jeremy Holloway is Assistant Professor and Director of Geriatric Education at the University of North Dakota. He discusses his research which focuses on the social determinants of health, specifically self-efficacy, connectedness, and resiliency of older adults. Dr. Holloway will share information about the intergenerational curriculum he created, called Tellegacy, that helps combat the social isolation and loneliness of older adults. Learn more at these websites:

jeremyholloway.com

tellegacy.org

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What inspired Jeremy to focus on older adults in his work
  • The impact of loneliness and social isolation on public health
  • How the Tellegacy curriculum bridges the generation gap and enhances the lives of older adults
  • The value of Tellegacy for preparing healthcare students to care for older adults in the future
  • How the Tellegacy program has evolved since its inception
  • Tools and activities used in Tellegacy to contribute to the well-being of older adults
  • Stories from the students and older adults participating in Tellegacy
  • How Tellegacy can also be used for healthcare staffs and other individuals
  • How the program has been adopted by nursing homes, Meals on Wheels and health insurance companies
  • How to get involved with and support Tellegacy

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Megan Baird, Alida Merrill, and Lynn Wittenberg. Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 442 When You Die Project: Raising Death Awareness with Johanna Lunn

kwyattmd

Learn about a trilogy of documentary films that inform and inspire conversations about death, dying and the afterlife.

My guest Johanna Lunn is an award-winning producer, director, and writer, who has crafted many compelling, entertaining, and profoundly thought-provoking programs during her 20+ years in the business. She is the director and producer of the When You Die Documentary Trilogy. Johanna discusses how she founded WhenYouDie.org to foster awareness about death by curating many voices to share their stories–from palliative care clinicians, death doulas and the bereaved, to poets, comedians, and artists. Learn more at the website:

whenyoudie.org

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What inspired Johanna to create this series of films
  • How she gathered the speakers she interviewed for each film
  • Why we need to look ahead to create something new rather than relying on what has worked in the past
  • The need for both a “curing team” and a “healing team”
  • What Johanna has learned about death, dying and the afterlife from creating the When You Die Project
  • Who can benefit from these films and her long term goals for them
  • How to watch and share these three documentaries with others

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Jane Whitlock, Robin Mallor, Carla Wheeler, and 4Brigid.  Also thank you to Dana Tuttle for buying me 3 coffees and Lisa Creeden for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 441 The Doula Took Kit: A Guide for EOL Doulas with Diane Button, Gabby Elise Jimenez, and Angela Shook

kwyattmd

Learn about a helpful new tool kit that’s not just for end-of-life doulas but can benefit anyone who cares for others at the end of life.

My three guests this week, Diane Button, Gabby Elise Jimenez, and Angela Shook, are all end-of-life doulas who have teamed up to create a helpful guidebook for other doulas: The Doula Tool Kit: The Complete Practical Guide for End-of-Life Doulas and Caregivers. We’ll learn all about the book and how this trio came together to write it. Plus they’ll share some of their tips for doulas and what motivates them to do this work. Learn more at their websites:

DianeButton.com

thehospiceheart.net

AngelaShook.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How these three doulas connected to collaborate on this project
  • Why a “doula took kit” is needed right now for new doulas after training
  • What’s included in the book
  • Who can benefit from the contents of the book
  • The power of collaboration and why we need more of it in the end-of-life field
  • Why the book is not just for doulas but also for lay people and family caregivers
  • Why some doulas for humans may also want to get training as companion animal doulas

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Jan Booth and to Linda Read for increasing your pledge.  Also thank you to everyone who has bought me a coffee or joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 440 Nights of Grief and Mystery with Stephen Jenkinson

kwyattmd

Enjoy this deep and soulful conversation with “The Griefwalker” Stephen Jenkinson.

My guest Stephen Jenkinson is the author of the award-winning book Die Wise: A Manifesto for Sanity and Soul and the creator and principal instructor of the Orphan Wisdom School. He discusses the Nights of Grief and Mystery project, which he created with singer/songwriter Gregory Hoskins, and how they have been touring the world with this profound musical and storytelling show. Stephen shares his thoughts on the crises of our contemporary society and how to proceed in the midst of our deep sorrow. Learn more about Stephen’s work at his website:

orphanwisdom.com

Get Stephen’s book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Stephen views his “audience” as allies
  • Tips for being fully present during performances on tour
  • A reading of the Invocation from the show
  • “Rage is what you do when you don’t know how to have a broken heart”
  • Why happiness is a by-product of living life a certain way, not a goal of life
  • Why age + experience does not add up to wisdom
  • How the second half of life differs from the first (and what to do about it)
  • “Crisis” literally means the place where the roads cross and a choice must be made
  • Why Stephen says hope doesn’t belong in a time such as ours

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu and to those who’ve bought me a coffee! Also many thanks to all of you who joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 439 Medical Aid in Dying: A Chaplain’s Perspective with Rev. Dr. Terri Daniel

kwyattmd

Learn how hospice chaplains can offer support to people who choose medical aid in dying.

My guest Dr. Terri Daniel is an inter-spiritual hospice chaplain, end-of-life educator, and grief counselor, who is the author of four books on death, grief and the afterlife, and a frequent guest on the podcast. Today Terri and I talk about medical aid in dying from a chaplain’s perspective and she discusses her experiences working for a hospice in Oregon that provides support for MAID. Learn more about Terri’s work at her website:

danieldirect.net

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The history of medical aid in dying in Oregon
  • How EOLCOR (End-of-Life Choices Oregon) assists people who want to utilize medical aid in dying
  • The wide variations in hospice policies around medical aid in dying
  • Dilemmas around communicating with family members who don’t support MAID
  • How MAID differs from suicide and why we need to understand that difference
  • A beautiful end-of-life ritual Terri created for a person utilizing MAID
  • Why some chaplains feel conflicted about supporting medical aid in dying
  • Religious objections to MAID
  • The “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy about MAID in some hospices
  • Dementia directive for advance care planning

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Kathleen Behrens.  Also thank you to Tom Waknitz and Carew Papritz for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 438 How to Choose the Best Hospice for Your Loved One with Barbara Karnes RN

kwyattmd

Learn tips for choosing the best hospice and asking all the right questions.

This week I welcome back my recurring guest Barbara Karnes RN, hospice nurse, author, speaker, thought leader and expert on end-of-life care. She is the author of ‘the little blue hospice book, Gone from My Sight and the recently published By Your Side: A Guide for Caring for the Dying at Home. Today we discuss why we hope people will choose hospice for care at the end of life and how to choose the right hospice for their loved one. Learn more about Barbara’s work at her website:

www.bkbooks.com

Get the book here.

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why we need to do our own research on hospices that are available to us
  • How Medicare-certified hospices can differ from one another
  • The importance of having a primary nurse assigned to each hospice patient
  • Why you need to ask about the availability of inpatient care for private pay
  • Understand that families have to provide the 24/7 care at home
  • Ask how often visits will occur and how long each visit will last
  • Ask if staff members prioritize being there at the time of death
  • Find out how quickly first visit will occur
  • Don’t just go with the hospice recommended by the hospital discharge planner
  • Ask about the quality of bereavement support offered

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donor Deborah Laukaitis.  Also thank you to Dana Tuttle for buying me a coffee and to everyone who has joined the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 437 Holding Space for Birth and Death with Amy Wright Glenn

kwyattmd

Learn what it actually means to “hold space” for others during times of challenge.

My guest Amy Wright Glenn is a Kripalu Yoga teacher, birth and death doula, hospital chaplain, and prenatal yoga and wellness instructor. She is the founder of the Institute for the study of Birth, Breath, and Death, known for its teacher training programs. Amy is the author of the book Holding Space: On Loving, Dying, and Letting Go, which she discusses today. Amy shares what it means to hold space and how we learn to practice that. Learn more at her website:

www.birthbreathanddeath.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Amy came to create the Institute for the Study of Birth, Breath and Death
  • How birth and death are connected
  • What it means to “hold space” for others
  • Practices for learning how to hold space
  • The “companioning model” of grief support
  • How to hold space for pregnancy loss
  • Training course for facilitators of pregnancy loss support groups

Links mentioned in this episode:

If you enjoy this content please share it with others and consider leaving a review on iTunes. Thanks again to all supporters on my page at Patreon.com/eolu, especially my newest donors Marian Folkemer, Monica Czaplinski, Jan Wiebking, Neo Sakurai, Chrissi Guerin, Donna Fleming and to Joy and Suzanne for increasing your pledges.  Also thank you to Sam Cash, Mark Langlois and “Someone” for buying me coffees and to Shannon Tolson, Sylvia Sigurdson, Jeya Venugopalakrishnan, Leslie Morgan and Laura Srygley for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.