Aging, End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 53 August End of Month Update on the End-of-Life

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It’s the end of August and time for another End of Month Update on the End-of-Life. Today Dr. Wyatt discusses the following stories from the news and social media:

  • Baycrest Health Sciences reported a study that ongoing mental stimulation for the elderly can counteract the contribution of the Western diet toward cognitive decline
  • Some hospitals are creating Acute Care for Elders units to ensure that the elderly receive focused care that will enable them to return to a functional level and be able to return home. There are ~200 such units in the US right now.
  • UCLA’s Geriatric unit has found significant overmedication of their elderly patients and has hired a pharmacist to help adjust medications for their patients – reported in Washington Post
  • CMS encouraging states to use Medicaid dollars to pay for in-home care for their elderly rather than nursing home stays
  • Pilot Study shows that offering intensive education for in-home caregivers helps decrease ER visits and hospitalizations
  • Illinois law regulates training standards for Alzheimer’s caregivers
  • Revised “Demoralization Scale” for evaluating patients decline in morale during cancer treatment
  • Patients who use emotional support and acceptance as coping strategies have increased quality of life, decreased anxiety and depression compared to patients who resort to denial and self-blame
  • Story of Disney Princess Party held for the daughter of a young mother who is dying of brain cancer
  • Story of California woman with ALS who held a 2-day “going away” party before using the assisted dying law to end her life

Thanks for tuning in to the podcast! Remember you can support this show and the End-of-Life University Interview Series on Patreon.com/eolu.

Face Your Fear.         BE Ready.          Love Your Life.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 52 How to Start an End-of-Life Film Series in Your Community

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Today Dr. Wyatt shares some tips on starting a film series in your community to encourage conversations about death and dying. Movies are a great way to touch and inspire people and open their hearts and minds to new information. You can get your own film series by following the steps below:

  • Define your target audience – know who you want to serve with this information and how many people you anticipate might attend
  • Find partners – look for organizations in your community that can serve as donors or sponsors
  • Locate a venue – try to find a free space by asking one of your partners to donate the use of their facility
  • Decide what to charge – create a budget and find out if you will need to sell tickets for the event or can ask for donations instead
  • Create an event schedule – decide how long your event should be and whether or not you can include time for a discussion group, panel, or guest lecturer after the film; also choose the day and time for your event so you can book the venue in advance if this is an ongoing monthly series
  • Choose your films – consider eol feature films and documentaries as you plan your schedule. Click here to view a list of suggested films for your series
  • Promote your event – ask your community partners to help you get the word out

Let me know if you decide to do a film series! I would love to hear it turns out!

Remember to go to Patreon.com/eolu if you are interested in supporting this podcast and the End-of-Life University Interview Series with a small donation.

Tune in each Monday for a new episode and remember:

Face Your Fear.           BE Ready.             Love Your Life.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 51 The Truth About Advance Directives from a Doctor’s Perspective

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In this episode Dr. Wyatt thanks her supporter Cathy Zheutlin who is a film producer currently making a documentary called “Living While Dying.” If you would like to support this podcast go to Patreon.com/eolu where you can make a donation of $1 or $2 per month to help defray the expenses of the podcast. Your name will be mentioned on the podcast as a thank you!

Dr. Wyatt discusses Advance Directives from a doctor’s point of view and relates stories about situations involving “the good, the bad, and the ugly” of this legal paperwork. The discussion includes:

  • AD’s are legal forms best applied to long-term situations and  can be helpful to prevent or terminate life-supporting care that is actually prolonging suffering and the dying process
  • we may wish that having AD’s in place will give us some measure of control over the circumstances of our death, but this is often not the case – there are many scenarios in which wishes cannot be carried out
  • AD’s are no substitute for having conversations with loved ones about our end-of-life wishes
  • be sure to communicate your wishes with everyone who might have a stake or concern about your dying process – make sure everyone hears the same message
  • update your loved ones whenever your wishes change
  • face your own fears of dying and of being kept alive in order to be extremely clear about your wishes – revisit these thoughts frequently
  • recognize that in the end circumstances may be out of everyone’s control and your wishes may not be followed. Find peace with that scenario and help alleviate any guilt your loved ones might carry if your wishes are not met.

Tune in next week for another episode of EOLU! Sign up for the End-of-Life University Interview series – 2 new interviews each month about all aspects of death and dying. Register here to be notified when the next interview is available.

Until next week:

Face Your Fears.          BE Ready.           Love Your Life.

 

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 50 How Death Can Be a Key to Happiness

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Today Dr. Karen Wyatt thanks her latest Patreon.com supporter Zanya Biviano, who is the creator of the Grief Support Kit. The kit consists of the Finding Hope in Grief book, DVD, and CD, which make a beautiful gift for anyone who is grieving. You can read more about the kit and order it at www.griefsupportkit.com. As a special offer to podcast listeners, if you purchase one kit between now and August 12, 2016 you will receive TWO kits at no extra charge, with no additional postage! This is an incredibly generous offer from Zanya, so be sure to order your kits right away!!

Dr. Wyatt reminds listeners that they can support the EOLU Podcast and Interview Series by offering a donation on Patreon.com/eolu, by purchasing the EOLU Access Pass, or by buying her books on Amazon.com.

In this episode Dr. Wyatt discusses the fact that the country of Bhutan has been named one of the happiest countries in the world and the Bhutanese people practice contemplating death five times a day. There is a link between overcoming the fear of death, increasing joy and happiness in life, and improving overall health. Therefore the practice of thinking about death on a daily basis could offer many benefits. Tips for developing such a practice:

  • Establish a regular time each day for a death awareness practice
  • Stay relaxed by using deep breathing
  • Make it a pleasant experience by adding music, aromatherapy, art
  • Avoid fearful images of death and dying
  • Focus on the “big picture”
  • Keep a journal

Finally Dr. Wyatt talks about her newly released ebook “The Tao of Death” which is an adaptation of Lao Tzu’s “Tao Te Ching.” You can learn more about the book at the link below. There is also a free Companion Journal for this book with a daily prompt for each of the 81 verses of the Tao of Death.

The Tao of Death: http://www.eoluniversity.com/taoofdeath

Here is a link to the blog that accompanies this podcast:

How Thoughts of Death Can Be a Key to Happiness

Have a great week and be sure to tune in every Monday. Thanks for all your support. Until the next time we connect:

Face Your Fear.      BE Ready.       Love Your Life.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 49 Alzheimer’s Caregivers: The Unsung Heroes with Dr. Judith London

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Today Dr. Wyatt is inspired to share an interview with Dr. Judith London, a psychologist who cares for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers. If you listened to last week’s podcast you heard a mention of “Memory Cafes” that are being held in Minnesota. Dr. London share her own stories and experiences with creating support groups for Alzheimer’s patients.

This interview will cover:

  • why Dr. London was inspired to work with and write about Alzheimer’s patients
  • what are the major challenges faced by caregivers for Alzheimer’s patients
  • tips for caregivers in relating to their loved ones with Alzheimer’s
  • how hospice and palliative care workers can be more supportive of family caregivers

You can learn more about Dr. London’s work at her website: www.drjudithlondon.com.

Remember you can help support EOLU with just a small donation of $1 or $2 per month. Help keep EOLU on the air! Go to www.patreon.com/eolu and become a patron if you are interested.

Until next week:

Face Your Fears.               BE Ready.               Love Your Life.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 48 July End of Month Update on the End-of-Life with Dr. Karen Wyatt

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In this episode Dr. Wyatt thanks her newest Patreon supporter, Elaine den Hoed. If you’d like to make a small donation to help cover the expenses of this podcast and the EOLU interview series go to www.patreon.com/eolu. Your help is greatly appreciated!

This episode includes:

  • Nebraska’s plan to improve services for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients
  • “Memory Cafes” taking place in Minnesota
  • Study that looked at the utilization of Assisted Dying laws and found that none of the feared consequences have occurred: usage has been very low and there has been no “slippery slope” decline to euthanasia
  • University of Vermont study showed significant disparity between physicians’ estimations of prognosis and patients’ understanding of their own prognosis, pointing out the need for better  doctor-patient communication
  • Survey of Hem-Oncology MD’s showed that they feel patient’s unrealistic expectations of cure or prolonged life are the most common barrier to quality end-of-life care
  • Study that found Palliative Care conversations about patient prognosis created PTSD  for family members has been widely criticized for the way it was set up
  • Seniors are the fastest growing group of social media users
  • Article discussing mourning rituals among animals
  • Stephen Hawking declares “There is no afterlife.”
  • Photo of fatal motorcycle crash site in Kentucky shows what some believe is a “spirit” hovering over the site
  • Elderly couple in San Antonio who both have dementia died within 3 hours of one another while holding hands

Thanks for tuning in to the EOLU podcast! Be sure to come back every Monday and share these episodes with someone else who might find them helpful!

Remember:

Face Your Fears.          BE Ready.             Love Your Life.

Aging, End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 47 How to Shift Our Mindset About the End-of-Life

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In this episode Dr. Wyatt addresses the Western tendency to deny and avoid the subjects of aging and death. But first she announced the upcoming release of her latest book “The Tao of Death” – an adaptation of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching through the perspective of death (it’s awesome!) The book should be available for sale as an ebook by the end of this month so stay tuned. If you’d like to be notified when the book goes on sale sign up for the email list at www.eoluniversity.com and you’ll get an email notification (and a significant discount!)

Next she thanks her newest Patreon sponsor, Holly Randall, for her support of EOLU. If you would like to be mentioned on the podcast go to www.Patreon.com/eolu and make a $1 or $2 per month donation to say “Thank you” for EOLU and help defray the expense of creating the interview series and this podcast.

Today’s episode is sponsored by Irina Jordan and Artisurn.com. Irina has a free gift for everyone of a special coloring ebook called “Coloring Through Grief.” You can download and print the coloring pages (they’re beautiful, by the way!) at http://tinyurl.com/artisurn or go to: http://www.artisurn.com/pages/coloring-through-grief-free-coloring-ebook. These coloring pages are FREE and when you download them you’ll also receive a special promo code for a 10% discount on a handmade cremation urn from Artisurn. Get the coloring pages now – it’s really fun and relaxing to color!

In today’s chat Dr. Wyatt talks about some steps we can all take to help shift our own and our society’s mindset about aging and death. She will talk about:

  • Seeing through the false messages of youthfulness and anti-aging that are prevalent in advertising and marketing
  • How to see the beauty in aging
  • How to embrace your own mortality with grace and dignity
  • Three pillars of a new mindset about death:
    • Every living thing ultimately dies
    • Life is precious because it is fleeting
    • Each of us must find our own meaning in life and death

If you enjoy this episode you probably know someone else who would like it too so please share! Also remember to go to Patreon.com to check out the EOLU donation page, stay tuned for “The Tao of Death” and listen in every Monday for a new episode!

Until the next time, remember:

Face Your Fears.         BE Ready.        Love Your Life.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 46 Art and the End-of-Life with Irina Jordan

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Join Dr. Karen Wyatt and her guest Irina Jordan, Founder and Owner of ARTISURN, an online marketplace for handcrafted cremation urns, jewelry and keepsakes made by talented artisans. We will discuss the role of the creative arts in remembering our loved ones or beloved pets at the end-of-life and in healing grief. According to Irina Jordan, ARTISURN craftsmen are sensitive to the deep emotional component required in creating sacred objects and we will learn how they do this work. In this interview you will discover:

  • how cremation urns are created and measured
  • why a handmade cremation urn is preferred
  • how cremation jewelry is made, using ashes fused with glass
  • stories of grief healing through sacred art

Learn more about Irina’s work at www.artisurn.com

You can download and print Irina’s gift: Coloring Through Grief – a beautiful adult coloring book – at this link:  http://tinyurl.com/artisurn  You’ll receive a promo code for a 10% discount you can use on any Artisurn handmade cremation urn.

Thanks for tuning in! Remember to support this podcast and the EOLU interview series at www.patreon.com/eolu !! Thanks to Irina Jordan and Artisurn for their support of EOLU!!

End of Life, EOLPodcast, Uncategorized

Ep. 45: How to Get Free of Your Fear of Death

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Join Dr. Karen Wyatt as she discusses How to Rise Above the Fear of Death. She talks about why it’s important for our entire society to face our fears of death and get a handle on them. Then she offers 6 suggestions for getting over the fear of death:

  • Think about death – daily if possible.
  • Write about death – keep a journal and record your process of facing your fears there
  • Read about death – start reading some great books that have been written recently about death. You can download a list of books at the link below this message or go to this webpage: Recommended Reading.
  • Learn about death – take a class or workshop, listen to End-of-Life University interviews.
  • Talk about death – join a Death Cafe or download the Conversation Project Starter Kit 
  • Work with death – become a hospice volunteer. Go to the NHPCO website to find a hospice near you.

You can hear about some great books to read by listening to Episode 33 or you can download a list right here: EOL Book Club Template.

Remember to go to Patreon.com/eolu if you’d like to support this podcast and the EOLU Interview series with a small monthly donation.

Meanwhile:

Face Your Fears.            BE Ready.            Love Your Life.

See you next week!

End of Life, EOLPodcast, Hospice

Ep. 44 June End of Month Update on the End-of-Life with Dr. Karen Wyatt

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As the month of June comes to an end Dr. Wyatt offers a summary of some of the interesting articles and posts on the end-0f-life that have been published during the month. The discussion includes:

  • A study from UNC showed that 3/4 of younger cancer patients (<65 years of age) with incurable disease receive  high rates of hospitalization and aggressive treatment during the last 30 days of life.
  • Dr. Ira Byock wrote an article “Why Do We Pay for Bad Healthcare” that was published online in STAT News. He questions why we continue to offer care with unproven benefits like feeding tubes in dementia patients and multiple-dose radiation for bone mets (rather than single-dose).
  • A survey of ICU nurses showed that very few are likely to be included in palliative care conversations with patients and their families. Obstacles mentioned are lack of training, not being asked for input by doctors, emotional toll of these discussions.
  • Arcadia Healthcare Solutions report that spending on people who die in a hospital is about 7 times greater than spending on patients who die at home.
  • Measure introduced in Congress by Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham to create a national “Care Corps” (similar to Peace Corps) that would train young volunteer caregivers to meet the pending caregiver shortage.
  • Results of recent caregiver survey discussed which shows demographics of current family caregivers.
  • UK Survey reveals concerns of LGBT patients about accessing quality EOL care including fears of discrimination, concerns about getting spiritual needs met, unique family and support network structure, difficulty obtaining grief and bereavement support.
  • Reminder not to post “RIP” on social media sites after a death unless you are certain that family members and loved ones have been notified of the death.
  • Essay by Eric Weiner on his discover that in Bhutanese culture people contemplate their own death 5 times per day (and Bhutan has been named one of the happiest countries on the planet.)
  • Notable deaths in June: Muhammad Ali;  Dr.Dennis McCullough, founder of the Slow Medicine movement; mass shooting on June 12th in Orlando.
  • Tribute to Julianna Snow, 5 y.o. with progressive neurological disease who chose heaven rather than continuing painful treatments for her terminal disease.

Thanks for tuning in to the EOLU Podcast! I’m so honored to be able to share these thoughts and observations about the end-of-life with you.

If you are interested in offering your support to EOLU go to Patreon.com/eolu and contribute just $1 or $2 per month. You’ll receive some special bonuses if you offer your support! Also you can help out by going to iTunes and leaving a review, sharing this podcast with others, and sending me your comments!

EOLPodcast, Grief, Spirituality, Tragedy

Ep. 43 What To Do When Tragedy Strikes

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In this episode Dr. Karen Wyatt shares her thoughts on how to cope with tragedy when you are a peripheral observer and don’t know how to help. She talks about her own feelings of helplessness after the 9/11 tragedy and shares some thoughts about specific things you can do to help you cope and find meaning after a horrific event has occurred. Her suggestions include:

  1. Give – donate blood, money, clothing, supplies, food, your time and energy–whatever might be needed most during a disaster. Contact your local Red Cross or other charitable relief organization to find what is needed and how you might be of help.
  2. Pray – even if you are not religious utilize prayer (or meditation, contemplation, or mindfulness) as a means of sending your love and light to others who are hurting right now. Attend a prayer vigil or memorial service if there is one in your area (or create one yourself.) Non-directed prayer for the good of all is more effective than directed prayer.
  3. Light a candle – Dr. Wyatt tells the story of lighting  7-day sanctuary candles after 9/11 as a symbol of shining light during a dark time.
  4. Look within – use this time of despair as an opportunity to look inside yourself and examine your own Shadow for hatred, anger and bitterness. Be inspired to heal your old wounds and help the collective Shadow heal as well.
  5. Practice compassion – work to find and express compassions for everyone involved in such a tragic incident: victims, their families and friends, the perpetrator, member of the community, state, nation, and world; and those who spread hatred instead of love.

Read the companion blog to this podcast here.

Sending you much love!!! Remember to check out the donation page at patreon.com/eolu if you’d like to support this podcast, sign up for End-of-Life University emails at eoluniversity.com, and leave reviews for this podcast on iTunes!

Blessings!!!

End of Life, EOLPodcast, Grief, Spirituality

Ep. 42 The Shared Death Experience with Lizzy Miles

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Today’s episode begins with a discussion about the mass shooting that just occurred in Orlando, Florida on June 12th. Dr. Wyatt shares some thoughts about why the Shadow side of life is emerging right now and what each of us must do to help our society: work on our own Shadow wounds and fears. She mentions her online home study course “Get Over It for Good: Healing the Hidden Wounds of Childhood” which you can check out at this link if you are interested:

Get Over it For Good Course

Next Dr. Wyatt introduces her guest Lizzy Miles who is a hospice social worker and who brought the first Death Cafe to the US in 2012. You’ll hear a little about how that took place and then Lizzy will tell the story of a Shared Death Experience she had when her aunt was dying. This interview will cover:

  • the definition of an SDE
  • how SDE’s differ from NDE’s
  • why it is important to accept the metaphysical experiences of patients and family members near the time of death
  • myths surrounding the dying process

Remember to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you TODAY! Life is short so don’t waste a moment of it!

Go to Patreon.com/eolu if you are interested in supporting this podcast and the EOLU interview series by donating $1 or $2 per month. Also be sure to share this podcast with your friends and leave reviews on iTunes if you enjoy the podcast!

 

 

End of Life, EOLPodcast, Hospice, Spirituality

Ep. 41 Creating Sacred Space in the Midst of Chaos

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Today Dr. Karen Wyatt thanks her new Patron Leslie Robertson for her support of EOLU on the donation page at patreon.com/eolu . Leslie is working on a project to train unemployed women in their 40’s-60’s to do end-of-life work. If you become a patron, as well, Dr. Wyatt will mention your name and your work in a future episode.

Next Dr. Wyatt talks about the stresses endured by hospice workers in this time when both healthcare and death have become a business. She discusses the impact of late admissions to hospice on the workers who must care for patients and their families when there is only a short time to meet their needs. This talk includes:

  • Finding meaning in dying even when you work for a “business”
  • The sacredness inherent in the dying process
  • A helpful mindset for dealing with the stress of end-of-life work
  • How to be a channel for love and compassion rather than generating them from your own heart
  • Body/Mind/Spirit practices for self-care to ensure that you can help create sacred space for patients
  • The Lovingkindness Blessing:
    • May I be at peace.
    • May my heart remain open.
    • May I realize the beauty of my own true nature.
    • May I be healed.
    • May I be a source of healing for this world.

Thanks for listening! Remember to leave reviews for this podcast on iTunes and help support EOLU at patreon.com/eolu.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 40 May End of Month Update on the End-of-Life with Dr. Karen Wyatt

kwyattmd

In this episode Dr. Wyatt begins with a brief discussion about Memorial Day and the need for people to come together and recognize our shared humanity during this time of deep polarization in US society.

Discussion includes:

  • Study in the UK shows group meals for dementia patients lead to better health and quality of life
  • NYC passed a law to protect family caregivers from being terminated from their jobs due to their caregiving duties
  • Journal of Oncology reports that black women with breast cancer are 14% less likely to receive hospice care and 59% more likely to die in the hospital, compared to white women with breast cancer
  • Palliate Guide is a new app for smart phones that contains basic palliative care guidelines and opiate prescribing tools
  • Study done at UCSF shows gap between doctors’ estimations of patient survival rates and surrogates estimates; surrogates were much more optimistic about survival but doctors were more accurate
  • Survey shows nephrologists have difficulty recommending palliative or hospice care for patients with end-stage renal disease and knowing when to withdraw dialysis
  • Early palliative care is associated with less stress and depression for family caregivers later on during the illness
  • Dr. Seamus O’Mahony from Cork University in Ireland has been quoted as saying, regarding end-of-life care: “Our needs are spiritual, not medical.”

Much love to all from Dr. Karen Wyatt! If you enjoy this podcast please consider offering your support on our Patreon page at patreon.com/eolu

Also please leave reviews for this podcast on iTunes and share with your friends who might be interested in this content.

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 39 Why It’s Important to Think About Death with Karen Wyatt MD

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In this episode Dr. Wyatt shares her thoughts about why each of us should think and talk about death long before we are dying. But before that she discusses her recent speaking tour with presentations at the Afterlife Awareness Conference in St. Louis MO and the Conscious Dying Panel Discussion she moderated; the New Death & Dying Event in Minneapolis MN and an additional speaking event in Rochester MN.

You can support this podcast by donating to Patreon.com/eolu. This week the featured patron is Jim Erskine, creator of the Expired “card game for mortals,” who will be soon be launching a Kickstarter campaign for the game. To become a featured patron just go to Patreon.com/eolu and make a small donation!

For those who are reluctant to talk or think about death, here are 5 compelling reasons why it’s important to do so:

  • Preserve your financial legacy
  • Protect your minor children
  • Get the kind of care you want at the end-of-life (or be protected from care you don’t want)
  • Be remembered as you would like to be by your loved ones
  • Lessen the stress for your loved ones

Leave comments and reviews on iTunes to help this podcast get noticed, share with your friends, and become a patron (if you are so inclined.)

Meanwhile, remember to:

Face Your Fears.      BE Ready.       Love Your Life.

 

 

 

 

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 38 What You Need to Know About the Afterlife with Rev. Terri Daniel

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Dr. Karen Wyatt interviews Rev. Terri Daniel, an ordained interfaith minister and hospice chaplain, who shares a metaphysical perspective on death and the afterlife. In this interview you will learn:

  • Terri’s thoughts on “radical mysticism” and how it pertains to death and dying
  • how her personal experience with grief led her to become involved with end-of-life care
  • about the Afterlife Awareness Conference and why you should attend
  • why death needs to come “out of the closet” in hospitals and ICU’s

Keep an open mind and tune in to this discussion about the possibility that life does not end with the death of the physical body. Be sure to subscribe to End-of-Life University Interview Series so you can get email notification each time a new interview is broadcast.

Also check out the EOLU donation page at Patreon.com/eolu and consider making a small donation ($1 or $2 per month) to help support these interviews and podcasts!

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 37 Creating a Support Community as an End-of-Life Worker

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Today Dr. Karen Wyatt discusses some ideas for building a support community for end-of-life workers and people interested in death and dying. Working in this field can be rather lonely at times as our society still fears and avoids the subject of death. But we need a network of support around us in order to do this challenging work. So here are some ideas for creating our own community of support:

  • Attend a Death Cafe. Learn more and out if there is a Death Cafe in your area by searching the Death Cafe website: www.DeathCafe.com
  • If there is no face-to-face Death Cafe in your area consider calling in by telephone to the Virtual Death Cafe, which generally meets on the 2nd Sunday of each month. Learn more at www.eoluniversity.com/death-cafe
  • Start your own Death Cafe. If you feel inclined to become a Death Cafe host (no specific training is required) you might want to start your own and truly benefit your community. Get completes Guidelines for starting a Death Cafe at www.DeathCafe.com/how
  • Use Social Media sites to get connected with others:
    • On Facebook search for these pages or public groups (then “Like” the page or ask to become a member of the group): Slow Medicine, Afterlife Awareness, Death Cafe, Death Midwifery in Canada, End-of-Life University, Death Expo
    • Linked-In: search for groups based on interests such as Hospice, Palliative Care, Chaplain Services, Grief, End-of-Life
    • Twitter: follow hashtags like #EOL #hpm #eolchat #dwd #eolcare #funeralplanning #deathcafe #hospice (depending on your interests)
  • Start a death and dying Meetup Group. You can create your own curriculum for a meetup (unlike Death Cafe that has no agenda) and include films, speakers, panel discussions, field trips. Go to www.Meetup.com to see if there is already a meetup in your area or to start one of your own.
  • Teach a class in your community. Consider teaching a death and dying class at a local community college if you have the credentials for it, or offer a class at your local senior or community center. Read this blog for some tips for teaching such a course HERE.
  • Join an organization. I highly recommend that you look into joining the National Home Funeral Alliance, which offers free registration, monthly conference calls and an annual face-to-face conference. You don’t have to be a home funeral guide to join and you will find many, many like-minded people there! Learn more about the NHFA at www.homefuneralalliance.org
  • Listen to educational interviews like this podcast or the interviews on the End-of-Life University Seminar Series. Click HERE to subscribe to the podcast and HERE to sign up for the seminar series.

Remember to support EOLU at patreon.com/eolu, tune in every Monday for a new episode, and leave your comments and reviews!

Face Your Fears.      BE Ready.      Love Your Life.

End of Life, EOLPodcast, Grief, Hospice, Spirituality

Ep. 36: Tribute to Maria Dancing Heart Hoaglund

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This episode is dedicated to the memory of Rev. Maria Dancing Heart Hoaglund, hospice chaplain and spiritual counselor who authored the books The Last Adventure of Life: Sacred Resources for Living and Dying from a Hospice Counselor and The Most Important Day of Your Life: Are You Ready? Maria died tragically after being struck by a car while walking in a crosswalk.

Maria has been a beloved member of the end-of-life community and in this episode Dr. Wyatt shares her personal recollections of Maria, reads excerpts from Maria’s books and plays a clip from Maria’s interview for End-of-Life University in 2013. Whether or not you have met Maria in the past, you will become acquainted with her beautiful soul and enlightened spiritual wisdom through the messages in this episode.

Many blessings to all who love Maria and feel the pain of her absence in this physical plane. Maria left a beautiful legacy for each and every one of us that will continue to guide and inspire our work for the future.

Maria’s books are available on Amazon:

The Last Adventure of Life

The Most Important Day of Your Life

End of Life, EOLPodcast

Ep. 35 April End of Month Update on the End-of-Life with Dr. Karen Wyatt

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Today Dr. Karen Wyatt offers the End of Month Update for April 2016. In this episode she recaps the 10-Day SMART Decisions Challenge for completing your advance directives – if you are interested in still doing the challenge on your own time you can check it out at www.eoluniversity.com/challenge. Also be sure to check out the EOLU page at Patreon.com/eolu if you’d like to make a small monthly donation to help keep EOLU on the air (much appreciated!)

Topics discussed in this presentation include:

  • A study showing that the population of people over age 65 will increase to 88million by the year 2050 – meaning there will be a huge need for services for the elderly. Reference to Episode #08: It Takes A Village to Care for the Elderly.
  • New “Affinity-Based” senior living communities are springing up around the country like Chinese-American and Indian-American communities.
  • The Harvard Study of Adult Development, which started in 1938, has shown that relationships are the key to a long happy life.
  • A British study in which the extreme elderly (over the age of 95) were interviewed about death and dying showed that they were at peace with death, ready to go and had talked with their doctors about death, but not their families.
  • A newly released survey of doctors found that they overwhelmingly support new CPT codes that allow for billing for end-of-life conversations and planning with patients but most of them report they are not ready to have these conversations because they have not been trained and don’t know what to say.
  • The Credit for Caring Act is currently being discussed in the US Congress and would provide up to $3000 per year in tax credits for family caregivers.
  • “Presenteeism” is a new term to describe the lack of productivity on the job experienced by family caregivers who are also employed outside the home (which amounts to 20% of Americans.)
  • Reports of funeral ritual behavior from the animal kingdom.
  • Driving Miss Norma – the story of a 90-year-old woman who said “no” to treatment after her cancer was diagnosed and is currently traveling the US in an RV with her son and daughter-in-law.

Be sure to leave comments below, subscribe to the podcast, write reviews, and recommend EOLU to your friends. Looking forward to our next opportunity to chat about the end-of-life!

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