EOLPodcast

Ep. 464 Nutrition at the End of Life with Barbara Karnes RN

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Learn about a guidebook that teaches how to offer appropriate nutrition for a loved one approaching death.

This week I’m welcoming my recurring guest and friend 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 Gone From My Sight, “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 the new book Always Offer, Never Force that teaches caregivers about the changing needs for food and nutrition as the body approaches death. We discuss the book and our personal experiences in this informative conversation. Learn more at Barbara’s website:

bkbooks.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How food is a top concern for caregivers when a loved one is nearing death
  • The body needs food less and less as death approaches
  • How food represents love for most of us and is tied to our emotions and socialization
  • Concentrate on high protein and high calorie foods from the time of diagnosis to build up an energy reserve
  • Having a flexible plan for nutrition during the last months of life can help alleviate stress and tension
  • How the judgments of others can cause guilt for caregivers around food
  • Why tube feeding and IV nutrition are not helpful and may be harmful at the end 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 latest supporter Ronda Violi and to Simply Celebrate for buying me 3 coffees! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 463 “So Sorry for Your Loss:” Learning to Live with Grief with Dina Gachman

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Learn about a grief book that combines personal experience with expert advice and a touch of humor.

My guest Dina Gachman is a Pulitzer Center grantee, an award-winning journalist, and a frequent contributor to the New York Times, Texas Monthly, Vox, and more. She wrote her second book So Sorry for Your Loss: How I Learned to Live with Grief and Other Grave Concerns after experiencing two deaths in her family and needing to process and learn more about her own grief. Learn more at her website:

dinagachmanwrites.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What inspired Dina to write this book
  • Choosing the right therapist for grief counseling
  • Her family’s experience with hospice and what she wishes she had known
  • Why they struggled with accepting palliative care earlier in the course of her mother’s illness
  • “Opening the box” as a tool for initiating end-of-life conversations
  • How patient and family stories can help us make productive changes in end-of-life care
  • Tips for bringing food to a grieving friend (and why a bucket of chicken is worth considering)
  • Ambiguous loss in the face of alcohol and substance abuse
  • Responses to the book

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 Catherine Noble Heart . Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 462 ARCHIVE: Creating Sacred Space for the Dying with Kitty Edwards

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Learn about the importance of sacred rituals and practices at the end of life.

This interview was recorded several years ago with Kitty Edwards, a shamanic practitioner, public speaker, published author and master teacher. She served as the director of The Living and Dying Consciously Project and as the co-founder of The No Regrets Project. Kitty’s passion is to help people explore ways to consciously engage in the dying process, celebrate the accomplishment of navigating the journey to death, and have a greater sense of their own journey to come. DISCLAIMER: As with all interviews in the archives, some links and courses shared may have changed over time and may no longer be available.

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This episode includes:

  • What it means to “hold space” for others
  • Shamanic practices to create sacred space
  • Practices for healthcare providers to get comfortable with death
  • Why we need to create community for our own end of life
  • Importance of clearing the energy field for sacred space
  • Death as a rite of passage
  • 5 practices for having no regrets

Links for EOLU Podcast:

EOLPodcast

Ep. 461 The NOKbox: A Gift for Your Next of Kin with Maria Fraietta

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Learn about a helpful tool for organizing all your records and files for your later years and your loved ones.

My guest Maria Fraietta is the founder of The Nokbox, which is a complete system that helps you organize all of your accounts, possessions, social media presence, communities, kids, pets, personal history, and estate plans. Maria is a former high school teacher and lives and works as an entrepreneur in Littleton, Colorado. She discusses the importance of being organized and prepared as we look ahead to later life. Learn more at her website:

thenokbox.com

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Maria was inspired to create The Nokbox
  • Why tools like The Nokbox are essential right now
  • What happens when people don’t plan ahead
  • How The Nokbox works and can be customized
  • Suggestions for getting started organizing records and files for our next of kin
  • How to update information in The Nokbox over time
  • Services offered by The Nokbox team and on the website

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 latest supporter Jennifer Keenan and to Simply Celebrate for buying me a coffee. Also many thanks to Raven Butterfly for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 460 ENCORE: Deathbed Dreams and Visions with Christopher Kerr, MD

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Learn how this hospice doctor’s important research sheds light on the dreams and visions of the dying and why they are meaningful.

In this interview from the archives of EOLU my guest is Dr. Christopher Kerr  who currently practices at Hospice Buffalo in Buffalo, NY. He is conducting a research project on the dreams and visions of his patients as they near death. You’ll hear the results of his ongoing project. Since this interview aired initially Dr. Kerr has written and published the book Death is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life’s End. Learn more at his website:

drchristopherkerr.com

Get the book here

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • The difference between delirium and deathbed visions
  • How he conducts his research project
  • Results of his research 
  • The nature of the dreams experienced by his patients
  • What he has learned from this work
  • How this work is helping to inform medical professionals about the end-of-life experiences of their patients

Links mentioned in this episode:

EOLPodcast

Ep. 459 Continuing Bonds Theory of Grief: A Closer Look with Karen Wyatt

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Learn more about the continuing bonds theory and various ways it is beneficial for grievers.

This special episode is a follow-up to the previous interview with Dina Stander about the phone of the wind. I’ll take a closer look at the Continuing Bonds theory of grief to see how using a wind phone might actually be helpful for grief. I’ll share excerpts from previous guests who talked about important aspects of continuing bonds. Listen to the previous episode here:

The Phone of the Wind

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What is the Continuing Bonds theory
  • Examples of continuing bonds mentioned by previous guests Terri Daniel, Gary Wederspahn, Joe Primo and Danielle MacKinnon
  • How to maintain continuing bonds
  • Summary of continuing bonds
  • How the wind phone helps with continuing bonds
  • Why not everyone wants to maintain continuing bonds with a deceased loved one
  • Quotes from grievers who found the wind phone helpful

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 Jennifer Keenan. Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 458 The Phone of the Wind: Connecting with Those We Grieve with Dina Stander

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Learn how the “phone of the wind” can help us establish continuing bonds with our loved ones who have died.

My guest Dina Stander is an end-of-life navigator, funeral celebrant and burial shroud maker. She is also the founder of the Northeast Death Care Collaborative, an author and a propagator of phones of the wind, which she discusses today. Learn more at her website:

dinastander.com

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Dina’s life experiences led her to the varied work she is doing now
  • The need for specialized death resources for disabled people
  • Why Dina’s shroud-making services use “up-cycled” fabrics for shrouds
  • The history behind the Phone of the Wind
  • How Dina shares the Phone of the Wind with others
  • How to locate a Phone of the Wind near you
  • What type of phone is best to use
  • How the phone of the wind allows for expression of all emotions, including anger
  • Why a wind phone could be part of a compassionate community
  • The many settings that could benefit from the presence of a wind phone

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 Annie Valdez for buying me 5 coffees! Also many thanks to Thilda Zorn for joining the $10 for 10 Years Campaign! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLU Blog

Following My Heart

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In case you missed last week’s podcast episode I’m sharing this post with you now so you’ll be aware of changes in the EOLU Podcast schedule. Because of some issues with my health I am cutting back on the number of episodes I release each month, which is why there is no new episode this week.

It’s actually hard for me to make this change because I have been broadcasting weekly for several years now and I’m dedicated to being consistent. But life is directing me differently right now and I have to accept that. If you want to know more about my health you can listen to the latest episode on What Really Matters Podcast where I share more personal information than I normally do here on EOLU. You might enjoy some of the other episodes there too!

For now, I’ve uploaded an old interview from the archives on my YouTube Channel – Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon’s Near-Death Experience with Eben Alexander MD. I encourage you to follow the link and listen to this fascinating interview. While you’re there check out some of the other content and be sure to subscribe to the channel.

During weeks when there’s no new episode on EOLU you can go back through the Archives and listen to interviews you’ve missed. There’s a wealth of material here!

Thanks for all your support and encouragement as I enter a new phase on my own journey – I appreciate your understanding.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 457 Creativity and Serious Illness with Christina Holbrook and Walker Vreeland

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Learn how two creators each facing serious illness came together to produce an award-winning masterpiece.

My guests Christina Holbrook and Walker Vreeland are joining me today to talk about their personal stories of serious illness and facing mortality in the midst of working on a creative project. Numerous synchronicities and little miracles came together to make possible the publication of Christina’s novel and audiobook All the Flowers of the Mountain after she was diagnosed with glioblastoma. Each of us has been inspired and transformed through the process of getting this book out into the world during a time of uncertainty. Learn more at these websites:

christinaholbrook.com

walkervreelandproductions.com

YouTube Channel

Get the book and audiobook

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Christina, Walker and I all came together to work on her novel and audiobook
  • How Christina and Walker are both facing their mortality every day
  • How creativity can help overcome the isolation of serious illness
  • Finding meaning for life by bringing a project to the world that will outlive us
  • Facing mortality forces us to think about what really matters in life
  • Why tragedy may be necessary in order to become death-aware
  • Making peace of mind more important than survival
  • Love finds a way, even against tremendous odds

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 Kris Kington-Barker. Also thank you to everyone who has donated through Paypal or bought me a coffee! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 456 Passages: An EOL Program for a Senior Living Community with Tom Waknitz

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Learn about a senior living community that is bringing end-of-life doula training to residents, thanks to the efforts of its chaplain.

My guest Tom Waknitz is a chaplain and end-of-life doula who is working with Walker Methodist Senior Living Community to establish a unique end-of-life program for residents called Passages. He is certified by INELDA and is currently earning a Master of Divinity Degree. After serving his first year as an end-of-life doula, Tom shares his innovative ideas for serving people and their families in transition at the end of life. Learn more about Passages and Tom’s coaching services at these websites:

walkermethodist.org

onemtl.org

YouTube Channel

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Tom’s journey from a career in technology to becoming a chaplain and end-of-life doula
  • Tom’s role as a chaplain and doula in a senior living community
  • Why Tom decided to bring INELDA training to the residents of this community and how it can serve as a model for others
  • The power of guided imagery and “familial stories”
  • Facilitating end-of-life conversations with residents and family members
  • What Tom learned in his first year as an end-of-life doula
  • The power of the intentional pause
  • Why changes in the end-of-life field must be sustainable

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. 455 Briefly Perfectly Human with Alua Arthur

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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:

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