Tag: end of life

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Ep. 559 Healing Grief After Homicide Through After-Death Communication with Jan Canty PhD

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Learn about the grief experienced by homicide survivors and how some have found comfort through after-death communication with their loved ones.

About the guest:

My guest Dr. Jan Canty is a psychologist, author, former podcaster, and a homicide survivor. She has written three books related to homicide and grief including her latest book: Rekindled: Healing Grief Through the Science and Experience of After-Death Communication. She shares how she became interested in studying after-death communication through her work supporting homicide survivors, including the scientific basis for these studies. She also discusses The Aftermath Conference: the first-ever national gathering for homicide survivors coming up September 11-13. Learn more at her website:

jancantyphd.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • How Jan became interested in after-death communication through her work with homicide survivors
  • The impact of stigma and taboos about homicide death for survivors
  • Why homicide survivors find after-death communication to be helpful and life-changing
  • How the experience of after-death communication is often pathologized
  • Why reductionistic science can’t fully study something like after-death communication because it can’t be measured
  • How to ask questions about after-death communication
  • Why grief clinicians need to know more about ADC
  • Why these experiences should not be negated or dismissed when patients bring them up
  • Suggestions for people struggling with grief after a homicide death
  • Homicide deaths are usually complicated by the presence of law enforcement and the media
  • Why listening to a homicide survivor is what is needed rather than saying the “right thing”
  • Why Jan is planning a national gathering for homicide survivors and their supporters

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Transcript

Jan Canty InterviewDownload
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Ep. 558 Filling the Gaps in End-of-Life Education, Support, and Community with Suzanne B. O’Brien RN

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Learn about the need for more education around death, dying, and grief to help us create more compassionate communities that are better prepared for the end of life.

About the guest:

My return guest Suzanne O’Brien is the founder and CEO of Doulagivers Institute and a pioneer in the global Death Doula movement. She is the recipient of numerous awards for her contribution to end-of-life care around the world and the author of the book The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved Ones Through the End of Life. She discusses why this moment is right for expanding community education and awareness about end-of-life issues and how learning about death can help us fully live. In addition she describes her upcoming free webinar on “Death Doula Secrets” to mentor doulas on Suzanne’s framework for successful death doula business development. Learn more at her website:

doulagivers.com

Register for Death Doula Secrets Webinar:

August 5th August 13th

Get the book here.

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

In this episode:

  • The evolution of end-of-life care and education over the past 15 years
  • How COVID 19 awakened many people to the reality of mortality and exposed gaps in care
  • Families are still largely overwhelmed and uneducated about providing care for their loved ones at end of life
  • How political and healthcare decision-makers remain poorly informed about end of life issues
  • Suzanne’s experience of community death care while traveling in Zimbabwe many years ago and how it informed her current work
  • Why broader cultural change around death and dying requires mass education in our communities
  • We need to help people with their fear of death through education if we want to see more change
  • Options for the management of suffering at the end of life, including terminal sedation, are not fully understood by most people
  • Death is the greatest teacher about how to live
  • The importance of gratitude and presence for bringing meaning to life

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Transcript:

Suzanne O’Brien InterviewDownload
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Ep. 557 The Grieving Body: Loss as a Healing Opportunity with Mary-Frances O’Connor PhD

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Learn about the impact of grief on the physical body and how the stress of grief and loss can lead to healing.

About the guest:

My special guest Dr. Mary-Frances O’Connor is a professor of psychology at the University of Arizona, where she directs the Grief, Loss and Social Stress (GLASS) Lab, investigating the effects of grief on the brain and the body. Her book The Grieving Brain was included on Oprah’s list of Best Books to Comfort a Grieving Friend and was the subject of a previous interview on this podcast. Today she discusses her latest book The Grieving Body: How the Stress of Loss Can Be an Opportunity for Healing, which is being released in paperback format on August 1, 2026. Learn more at her website:

maryfrancesoconnor.org

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • How Mary-Frances was inspired to do research on grief
  • As a society we tend to ignore the body and grief can push us further in that direction
  • Why we need to pay attention to the messages from our bodies, particularly when we are grieving
  • The importances of social connectedness during grief and all of life
  • Sitting with someone who is calm can help us co-regulate when we are stressed in our grief
  • Why bereavement should be a public health issue
  • How we gradually build capacity to carry our grief
  • Why every experience of grief is different for us – and that’s natural and normal
  • How there is a lack of studies on crying in bereavement even though it has multiple functions
  • Emotional tears contain different hormones than irritant tears
  • Cardiovascular events related to acute grief
  • Strategies for managing grief holistically and growing through the process

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Transcript

Mary-Frances O’Connor InterviewDownload
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Ep. 556 Zen Caregiving: A Mindful Approach to Caring for Others with Roy Remer

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Learn about mindfulness and compassion-based tools to nurture and empower caregivers as they serve the needs of others.

About the guest:

Roy Remer is the executive director of the Zen Caregiving Project in San Francisco and the lead creator of the Mindful Caregiving Education curriculum. He is an educator and end-of-life caregiver since 1997 and a dedicated practitioner in the Soto Zen tradition. Roy is also the author of Zen Caregiving: How to Care for Yourself While Caring for Others. Learn more at the website:

ZenCaregiving.org

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • Being a caregiver is part of the human experience and will affect most of us
  • Caregiving can be a pathway for growth but certain illnesses (especially dementia) can exact a huge toll on caregivers
  • The value of learning genuine presence
  • How this book can help everyone be better prepared in the future to become a caregiver
  • How serving others differs from helping, which is outcome focused
  • Our compassion is incomplete if we don’t also care for ourselves
  • Caregivers do not receive adequate preparation or support physically, emotionally, or spiritually for the task of caring for others
  • Why grief and guilt are common experiences of caregivers
  • Simple rituals for processing grief while providing care

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Transcript:

Roy Remer InterviewDownload
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Ep. 554 After-Death Communication and Developing Intuition with Purnima Sinha

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Learn how a near-death experience and after-death communication with her mother led to increased spiritual awareness and intuition for Purnima.

About my guest:

My guest Purnima Sinha has certificates in LifeStyle Medicine and Meditation & Psychotherapy for the Harvard School of Medicine. She taught meditation to patients for many years and has been researching consciousness for over three decades. Today she discusses the mystical experiences she has had throughout her life including after-death communication with her mother following her death. She has assisted many people at the end of life and has taught many others how to access and utilize intuition.

Watch on YouTube

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In this episode:

  • How her mother’s death and after-death communication was a catalyst for her spiritual growth
  • How her parents early teaching about karma and seva have influenced her life
  • Why forgiveness played an important role in her spiritual transformation
  • The nature of her near-death experience
  • How she started receiving messages from her mother
  • Why fear makes it impossible to receive after-death or intuitive communication
  • Why love and gratitude are the best practices to cultivate in your life
  • How the mind and the ego can interfere with receiving guidance

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Transcript:

Purnima Sinha InterviewDownload
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Ep. 553 Compassionate Schools: Education on Illness, Dying, and Grief for Children with Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens

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Learn how the Compassionate Schools model can foster better support for children and young people experiencing grief, illness and loss..

About the guests:

My guests Dr. Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens have developed a how-to guide for Compassionate Schools that we discuss in today’s conversation. Sally is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at the University of Strathclyde in Scotland where she teaches and researches in the areas of bereavement, death education, and public health approaches to palliative care. Bert is a researcher at the End-of-Life Care Research Group at Vrije Universiteit in Brussels, Belgium. He focuses on Compassionate Communities and Compassionate Cities and how initiatives like Compassionate Schools can help normalize conversations about death and caregiving. Get the Compassionate Schools How to Guide at the link below:

Compassionate Schools How-To Guide

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In this episode:

  • What is a Compassionate School
  • Why is it important for schools to address the existence of death and grief for students and staff
  • Children can cope with difficult situations when given age-appropriate information
  • Why culture change can happen faster with a “bottom up” approach
  • How each compassionate school is unique and meets the particular needs of a community
  • Tips for introducing Compassionate Schools to your community
  • Obstacles and resistance to this work
  • Why it’s important to start with small goals like placing books on death and grief in the school library
  • How to support teachers in having conversations with grieving children

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Transcript:

Sally Paul and Bert Quintiens InterviewDownload
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Ep. 547 When We Die Talks: Facing the Fear of Death with Zach Ancell

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Learn how asking “What do you think happens when we die?” helped this podcast host deal with death anxiety.

My guest Zach Ancell is the creator of When We Die Talks, a project around one question asked to anonymous callers: “What do you believe happens when we die?” He airs these fascinating conversations as a podcast that explores death, meaning, fear, grief, and how mortality shapes the way we live. Zach invites people to “leave a voicemail and share a belief, a question, or a moment you can’t shake about death: 971-328-0864.” Learn more at the website:

whenwedietalks.com

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This episode includes:

  • What motivated Zach to start When We Die Talks
  • The courage it takes to face the fear of death
  • The benefits of anonymity in conversations about death
  • How Zach approaches these discussions with curiosity and no agenda
  • What has changed about his acceptance of death has increased from these conversations
  • How asking “What do you believe happens when we die?” unlocks other layers of meaning
  • The ultimate benefit of the project is learning to live more intentionally and authentically
  • How mortality awareness helps us re-prioritize 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. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 546 The Love List of a Lifetime: Uplifting End-of-Life Planning with Sherry Richert Belul

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Learn about an end-of-life planner that helps people share joy and love as they prepare for their later days.

My guest Sherry Richert Belul is the founder of Simply Celebrate and author of The Love List of a Lifetime. She helps people discover creative, heartfelt ways to celebrate life, deepen connection, and express love–while also guiding people to plan for the end-of-life. She is a workshop leader and speaker who emphasizes loving out loud and making moments that matter. Her end-of-life planner The Love List of a Lifetime helps people organize what matters most, share their love, and leave a legacy of connection and care. Learn more at her website:

simplycelebrate.net

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • How Sherry is currently finding joy within the depths of her grief
  • The depth of our grief and sorrow is what allows for the breadth of kindness and joy
  • A love list as a gift for someone with a terminal diagnosis
  • Why include something “imperfect” on a love list
  • Why planning for the end of life is an act of great love
  • Start end-of-life planning by making a phone tree of contacts to be notified after your death and include a short message to each person
  • Sharing the stories of the things we plan to pass on to others
  • How sorting through items from the past with a loved one can create new special memories
  • People need to be seen and heard and loved for who they are
  • Say it now – don’t let the moment pass

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 donor Joy Fletcher. And thanks to everyone who bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 545 Organ Donation and Extraordinary Conversations at the End of Life with Toby Campbell MD

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Learn about organ donation at the end of life and how to have conversations about it and other difficult topics.

My guest Dr. Toby Campbell is a Professor of Medicine, Thoracic Oncologist, and Palliative Care Physician who is also a writer and podcaster. He is currently writing A Doctor’s Guide to Hard Conversations and created the Extraordinary Conversations Podcast, which explores the pivotal discussions that arise around organ donation and transplantation–and event at the end of one life that helps prolong another life. He discusses these challenging conversations and how they might inform other situations when we need to talk about a difficult subject. Learn more at the website:

extraordinaryconversationspodcast.com

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • How Toby’s desire to practice “slow medicine” led to his interest in oncology and palliative care
  • Challenges faced by families in organ donation situations
  • Recognizing that some healthcare decisions are more for the future than for the present moment
  • How the dying process differs when organs are being donated
  • Rituals that might occur in the setting of organ donation
  • Why our feelings about organ donation need to be discussed as part of our end-of-life planning
  • How organ donation can end up helping donor families with their grief
  • Tips for having difficult conversations including building rapport, responding to emotion, eliciting values and priorities

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 donor Joy Fletcher. And thanks to Cathy Duke for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 544 The Queer Grief Club and Inclusive End-of-Life Care with Jamie Thrower

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Learn how to better serve the needs of the LGBTQ+ community in grief and at the end of life.

My guest Jamie Thrower is a queer death doula, end-of-life educator and community grief tender serving the LGBTQ+ community in life and in death. She is the founder of Queer Grief Club and the co-creator of The Dementia Deck. We discuss how to offer more inclusive services in our end-of-life care and grief support spaces. Learn more at Jamie’s website:

jamiethrower.com

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This episode includes:

  • Jamie’s story of becoming parentless at age 28
  • How she discovered that grief connected her to others in a beautiful way
  • Why children need to be involved in death and funerals
  • The many layers of grief experienced by a queer person
  • How our systems need to change to become more inclusive
  • What we can do as individuals to make our care more welcoming to the queer community
  • Hidden bias in our paperwork and forms for people in the LGBTQ+ community
  • The importance of advance directives for queer people

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 thanks to Wayne for buying me a coffee and Rick DiTullio and Dawn Dayter for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 543 A Hospice Musical to Teach About Life’s Grief and Joy with Benjamin Kintisch

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Learn how to experience and support a fantastic musical comedy about hospice care, grief, and finding meaning in life.

My return guest Benjamin Kintisch is a trained chaplain, music teacher, and Cantor in the Jewish synagogue. He is the creator, lyricist and playwright of “Life Review: The Hospice Musical,” a musical comedy that focuses on the lessons a young rabbi learns when he is assigned to be a chaplain for patients in a residential hospice. Ben discusses the upcoming full performance of the musical and album recording on May 9th and the real life origin of the stories and songs in Life Review. Visit the website and support the Kickstarter campaign at the links below:

lifereviewmusical.com

Kickstarter Campaign for Life Review

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This episode includes:

  • What inspired Ben to write a musical about hospice
  • How Ben ended up creating a one-man version of the show during COVID
  • The story arc of the musical and what it teaches
  • Audience reaction to the musical and why it creates “teachable” moments
  • Why the arts and media are important vehicles for educating the public about death, dying, and grief
  • The upcoming May 9th performance of the musical and live album recording at Johns Hopkins University
  • How (and why) to support the Kickstarter Campaign

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 542 Estate Transition: An Important Part of End-of-Life Planning with Dan Stickel

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Learn about a software resource that helps people navigate estate planning and settlement and find greater peace at the end of life.

My guest Dan Stickel is the Founder and CEO of EstateExec, a cloud-based software solution estate administration and settlement. If you’ve ever served as the executor for an estate you know how challenging it can be to manage financial decisions while grieving after a death has occurred. Dan explains how this software eases the burden for loved ones and avoids common mistakes, and also why it should be part of end-of-life planning. Learn more at the website:

estateexec.com

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • Why Dan created EstateExec based on his own experience
  • Most people don’t have a will and why that may or may not be a problem
  • How the EstateExec app helps people navigate the estate settlement process after a death occurs
  • The common issues estate executors struggle with
  • Why the estate transition process can’t be rushed and each step is important
  • Simple steps in planning an estate in advance that could make a big difference for survivors
  • Many states have laws to protect families financially after a death
  • Why death doulas and hospice workers may want to encourage estate planning before death for peace of mind and less family conflict

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 thanks to Lynn Adamo for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 540 Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving with Shelby Forsythia

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Learn how to support a grieving person by choosing the best words to say that will actually make a difference.

My guest Shelby Forsythia is a grief coach, author, podcast host, and the founder of Life After Loss Academy, an online course and community for grievers. She is the author of Your Grief Your Way, Permission to Grieve, and her latest book Of Course I’m Here Right Now: Three Actually Helpful Things to Say to Someone Grieving. Her work has been featured in Huffington Post, Bustle, and The Oprah Magazine. Learn more at her website:

shelbyforsythia.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Shelby became a “student of grief” who views loss as a perpetual teacher
  • Three common internal narratives that grieving people face
  • Three simple but transformative phrases to use when supporting someone
  • Why words are the most accessible tool for support of someone grieving
  • The need for grief literacy to prevent the secondary loss of friendships during times of grief
  • The “three Ds“ of grief
  • What is the “second wave of grief”
  • The lack of grief literacy on social media

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 539 Yoga, Breath, and Death: Death Café at the Yoga Studio with Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen

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Learn why “corpse pose” in yoga is a rehearsal for death and how yoga instructors are bringing Death Café into their studio.

My guests Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen are both yoga instructors at Nest Yoga in Oakland CA and are co-authors of a new book titled Savasana: Between Breath and Death – a how-to for the final pose. Leslie is a certified death doula and hospice volunteer. Richard is the author of five previous books about yoga. Leslie also facilitates a Death Café that meets regularly at the yoga studio. Learn more at these websites:

lesliehowardyoga.com

betweenbreathanddeath.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What is Savasana (or Corpse Pose)
  • Corpse pose as a rehearsal for death
  • How it benefits us to have periods of conscious rest like Savasana
  • How Leslie was inspired to become a death doula
  • Incorporating Death Café into the yoga studio
  • How yoga practice can help during times of illness, stress, and at the end of life
  • How breathing helps soothe the nervous system
  • Restorative yoga poses for physical comfort 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 patron Karen Sheldahl! And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 538 Helping “Stuck Souls” Cross Over with Father Nathan Castle

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Learn about the unusual work of a priest who experiences after-death communication with souls who have become “stuck” in their afterlife journey.

My guest Father Nathan Castle is a Dominican priest known for his work in campus ministry and his unusual calling of helping souls who have died suddenly to find peace. He discusses his unique work and how he was called to serve others in this way. He discusses the communications he receives in his dreams and how he began working with the souls who connect with him whose afterlives have been interrupted by unfinished business. He is the host of The Joyful Friar Podcast and the author of four books including his most recent: Afterlife: Interrupted Book 3 – Let Me Explain. Learn more at his website:

Nathan-castle.com

Get the books here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • What he means by “stuck souls”
  • How he first experienced contact from a deceased soul in his dreams
  • Why certain people might get stuck in this way after death
  • What is an “interrupted death experience”
  • Stories of souls he has encountered during after death communication experiences
  • How he works with stuck souls and their guardians to help them cross over
  • How he uses prayer as a subset of love for helping souls
  • In his experience many people who died by suicide felt optionless and just wanted the pain to stop
  • How he manages to be “The Joyful Friar” in the midst of the work he does
  • Advice for the living: Stay in the present moment and don’t be defined by the worst thing that happened to you in order to avoid getting stuck in the afterlife

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 536 Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula with Darnell Lamont Walker

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Learn about a powerful memoir from the life of a death doula who was inspired by his grandmother to sit with the dying.

My guest Darnell Lamont Walker is a death doula, Emmy-nominated children’s television writer, producer and explorer. He creates spaces worldwide for healing through storytelling, end-of-life care, and workshops on grief, resilience, unlocking the writer within, and radical empathy. He is the author of the newly published memoir Never Can Say Goodbye: The Life of a Death Doula and The Art of a Peaceful End published by HarperCollins. Learn more at his website:

darnellwalker.com

Get the book here

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Darnell was first introduced to end-of-life care by his grandmother
  • The power of storytelling
  • Why caring for the dying seems foreign to some people but is actually an innate ability
  • Why we should be training children at a young age to be present with dying or we may pass on our own fear of death
  • Death within the Black community and the impact of systemic racism, generational trauma, and unequal access to healthcare on end-of-life decision-making
  • Why listening first is the best way to build trust and get people to talk about difficult subjects
  • Why we can make better choices for life when we become aware of our mortality

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 thanks to Jolynn Deloach for making a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 535 Planning Your Funeral and Legacy Online with Paul Fried

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Learn about a helpful online platform for end-of-life planning and the benefits of using technology for this work.

My guest Paul Fried is an entrepreneur who recognized a need to reshape how we think about end-of-life planning. He founded a digital-first platform that focuses on compassionate funeral planning, digital legacy preservation, and emotional wellness titled I Made the Arrangements. He discusses the value of recording our end-of-life wishes and messages digitally for the sake of our loved ones. Paul is also the author of the book Live Fully. Leave Wisely: End-of-Life Planning as the Ultimate Act of Love. Learn more at his website:

Imadethearrangements.com

Get the book

Watch on YouTube

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Paul’s ancestry and personal history led him to create I Made the Arrangements
  • Why digital planning services are important right now
  • The disastrous consequences of not planning ahead or talking about our end-of-life wishes
  • Why employers are starting to offer online end-of-life planning as a benefit to their employees
  • How technology is rapidly advancing to help people reconnect with holographic images of their loved ones
  • How “wishkeepers” help secure their loved ones’ legacies
  • Resources available 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. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 534 Sacred Dying: Honoring the Legacy of Megory Anderson with Jeremy Damec

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Learn about the beautiful contribution of Dr. Megory Anderson to the field of sacred death and dying and how her legacy lives on 7 years after her death.

My guest Jeremy Damec is a NEDA-certified death doula and a grief counselor who has also completed chaplaincy training and worked at a funeral home. He was a friend and mentee of Megory Anderson and knew her well during the years prior to her untimely and unexpected death in 2019. We discuss her pioneering contributions to end-of-life care and her book Sacred Dying along with our own stories of being inspired by Megory’s wisdom on the 7th anniversary since her death. Learn more about Jeremy’s work:

jeremydeathandgrief.com

deathandgriefworkercollective.com

Get Sacred Dying

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This episode includes:

  • Megory’s book Sacred Dying as a valuable resource for all death workers
  • How Jeremy got to know Megory Anderson
  • Jeremy’s experience sitting vigil with Megory before she died
  • How Jeremy still learns from Megory in his work
  • Honoring Megory as a pioneer in the sacred aspect of death and dying
  • What Jeremy has been inspired to create through the Death and Grief Worker Collective

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 patron Leslie Robinson! And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

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Ep. 533 The Legacy of Hospice in the U.S. and Around the World with Dr. Robert Buckingham

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Learn the history of the hospice movement in the US from one of the original founders.

My guest Dr. Robert Buckingham is a Professor Emeritus of Public Health at the University of Michigan and has been a pioneer of the U.S. hospice movement, having played a role in the founding of the very first hospice program in this country. In addition he has co-developed 81 hospice programs across the globe including the firs hospice for children with AIDS in Thailand. He is the author of 12 books – 7 dedicated solely to hospice and palliative care. His latest book is Understanding Loss and Grief for Women. Learn more at his website:

rwbuckingham.com

Watch on YouTube

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This episode includes:

  • The birth of hospice in America
  • Current threats to the hospice movement
  • Dr. Buckingham’s involvement in developing hospice programs around the world
  • The historical philosophy of hospice care
  • The benefits of providing hands-on care to a loved one at the end of life
  • How the AIDS crisis helped fuel the growth of the hospice movement
  • Lessons learned from dying patients
  • Why he wrote about loss and grief for women and why we need to make sure we include men in grief work
  • Remembering that change takes time and taking the long view on our work

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 thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.

EOLPodcast

Ep. 532 Writing Your Obituary as Part of End-of-Life Planning with Gail Shapiro

kwyattmd

Learn how and why to write your own obituary as a legacy project.

My guest Gail Shapiro is a seasoned writer and editor and also a professional organizer who has guided many people through the details of end-of-life planning. She also helps people write memorable obituaries for themselves and others and today discusses why this process is an important part of end-of-life planning. She shares tips and best practices for writing an obituary and how she can help when we aren’t sure what to include or how to say what we mean. Learn more at her website:

gailshapiro.com

Listen here:

This episode includes:

  • How Gail became interested in obituary writing
  • Why an obituary can also be a legacy project
  • Why should we consider writing our own obituary rather than leaving it to someone else
  • What should an obituary include
  • What should NOT be in an obituary
  • Best practices for writing a beautiful obit
  • How AI can make serious mistakes in obituary writing and cannot replace the human touch
  • What services Gail provides for those who aren’t comfortable doing their own writing

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 Adele Flaherty and to Jen Davidson for increasing your pledge. And thanks to everyone who has bought me a coffee or made a donation on Paypal! Your contributions make all the difference and ensure this podcast stays ad-free.