End of Life Alternatives

An amazing resource by a truly wonderful group of people, telling about their individual journeys with someone who has chosen Medical Assistance in Dying.
AND the proceeds from sales go directly to MAID Family Support Society. Check it out!!

Check out what the Death & Dying Network International has coming up in September!

Help shape the future of the Death and Dying Network International. Join our new Executive Director Christa Ovenell in conversation and share your ideas, questions, and deepest death-caring desires! Now is the time to contribute your voice and vision, helping us build a compassionate and forward-thinking community dedicated to death literacy, end-of-life care, and meaningful connections.

Date: Thursday September 12
Time: 7pm to 8:30pm PST
Where: Online

JOIN US: https://shorturl.at/e9DaJ

There is a difference between grief and mourning that needs to be understood

There is a difference between grieving and mourning. Grief is what we feel when we lose someone or something. It’s unpredictable and it’s inevitable. It will wait for you if you deny it, or avoid it, or run from it. Generally speaking, grief is an as***le. Mourning is different; it’s the outward expression of that grief and it’s often done in community. Mourning is how we heal. Mourning, consciously, and on purpose, gives grief a pathway to ease the weight of grief.

Grief is often done in isolation - it’s such a unique and individual process. Mourning is often done together with laughter and connection. Here are a few things that can help mend the isolation that grief: ⁠
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1. Let grief come when it happens. The intensity won’t last forever. ⁠
2. Find the best stories of the thing or the one that you’re grieving. Tell those stories.
3. If it’s hard to find people who will hold space for the hard moments, join a community that makes you feel seen and heard. ⁠
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B.C. supports seniors aging at home with new virtual service | BC Gov News Seniors will be supported to stay in their homes longer with a new virtual service that provides some of the essential support of a long-term care facility in their own home.

Good to know

Interesting information

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITY FOR PEOPLE WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE supporting someone through a MAID experience!
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Have you supported a spouse, family member, or other loved one through their experience with Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID)? We are looking for volunteers to provide meaningful, judgment-free support to those navigating the complexities of MAID or grieving a loss due to MAID.
If you are passionate about offering supportive care to those in need and have lived experience with MAID, we would love to hear from you! Visit the link below to learn more and join our team.
Together, we can make a difference.

Volunteer - MAID Family Support MAID Family Support volunteers strive to provide meaningful support, free of judgment, to family members and friends of a loved one who is considering or planning for Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) or those who are grieving a loss due to MAID.

Assisted Dying in Canada with Stefanie Green, MD Stefanie Green, MD, was one of the first providers of Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID) in Canada, when it became legal in 2016. Her book, This Is Assisted Dying: A Doctor's Story of Empowering Patients at the End of Life, chronicles her first year working in the field of MAID. In our conversation,...

What an amazing approach to different responses in grief.

"instead of saying...." have a read

instead of saying, "i know what it feels like", let's say "i cannot imagine your heartbreak".

instead of saying, "you're strong, you'll get through this, let's say " you'll hurt, and I'll be here.

instead of saying, "you look like you're doing well, let's say, "how are you holding up today?"

instead of saying, "healing takes time", let's say "healing has no timeline".

instead of saying, "everything happens for a reason, let's say "this must feel so terribly senseless right now".

and when there are no words to say at all, you don't need to try and find some. love speaks in silences too.

~ 'words' by Ullie Kaye Poetry

~ Art by Jennifer Yoswa

EPISODE 14: Jordan Arogeti, SupportNow – Understanding Its Process, Benefits, and the Comfort It Provides

🌟 What Do Individuals and Families Need in Times of Illness, Death, and Tragedy? How Can You Help?

When faced with illness, death, or tragedy, the needs of individuals and families are profound and multifaceted. How can we truly offer meaningful support?

Introducing SupportNow – a streamlined way for supporters to provide genuine help to families during tough times. Through a single online platform, supporters can channel their compassion into practical and impactful actions.

🌱 Join Us to Learn More! Jordan Arogeti, CEO and co-founder of SupportNow, will share her personal journey and how SupportNow was developed to meet real needs. Discover what individuals truly want and need in times of distress, and learn how you can offer meaningful help.

💡 Key Takeaways:

Why “Let me know what I can do” or “How can I help?” isn’t effective.

How SupportNow provides clear, actionable ways to support families in need.

Insights into creating a personalized support registry for raising funds, scheduling meals, coordinating volunteers, and sending updates.

🎤 About Jordan Arogeti: Jordan Arogeti is dedicated to transforming how we support friends and families during tough times. As the CEO and co-founder of SupportNow, she has created an all-in-one platform to raise money, schedule meals, coordinate volunteers, and more.

Before founding SupportNow, Jordan was a top Strategic Enterprise salesperson at Salesloft, where she played a crucial role in the company's growth from $1M to $200M in annual revenue. She is passionate about sales, women in tech, and has been instrumental in developing maternity leave policies. Jordan has also invested in and advised numerous startups across the country.

Jordan began her career in Collegiate Sports Sponsorship and Licensing at IMG/WME in New York. She is a graduate of the University of Georgia and resides in Atlanta with her husband Scott (co-founder in Mi Alma) and their three children: Nace (5), Remi (4), and Hayes (1).

Connect with Jordan and learn more about SupportNow: 🌐 SupportNow 📧 [email protected]

Discover how SupportNow can empower you to make a real difference

TUNE IN: https://dishingdoulas.podbean.com/

Would you know my name, if I saw you in Heaven?

CHILDREN IN HEAVEN

I spoke to a robin
who visits my tree
I told him I thought
you were waiting for me
he shook his soft head
and much disagreed
‘the children in heaven
are happy, you see.

They know of no fear
they feel no regret
they spend the days wrapped
in a blissful forget.
they’re loved very much
by your ancestors all
and they run around playing
with sticks and a ball.

And the only time
children in heaven seem sad
is when they look down
on the life that they had
and the people they love
feel no longer alive
even though it’s not their time
to travel this side.

So chin up, said Robin
let no more tears fall
your child is quite free
with his sticks and his ball
and he's in no great rush
to see you just yet
you’ve life still to live
and more memories to get

And time may pass slowly
here on the ground
but in heaven it’s moments
and will quickly come round
so let the world turn
and let everything be
the children in heaven
are happy, you see’.

Donna Ashworth

Art by the wonderful Lisa Aisato (please do check out her amazing books)

(Dear all, I wrote written this poem to raise funds for The James Bulger Memorial Trust last year on the anniversary. Yesterday was Bereaved Parents day and this is bereaved parents month, my heart goes out to you all. )

From wild hope ❤️

UK: https://amzn.eu/d/eDGFsCs
US: https://a.co/d/h6FEaTv

Since I began death work in 2016 I have used creativity as a way of connecting to hard things.

We see death in fiction, art, popular media, the news. Are we connecting to these representations?

Mortality & Me Saturday Sessions are the first time I am integrating my art background with the death education I have been doing for years.

Fact is we are surrounded by death, loss, and grief all the time.

If you are reading this you are likely with me among the privileged folks on earth who have the time and space to contemplate these things philosophically. What to do with that opportunity?

Together we will cultivate compassion, community, and connection.

I'll be on the island in July hosting these one-time workshops, I hope you can join me.

https://emilybootle.ca/saturday-sessions/

It's natures way

This is going to be fun!!

Join Death Doula Network International July 11th for DEATH OVER DRAFTS, with Stefanie Elkins, Founder.

This event is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC!!

Death over Drafts - A Community Event Brewing Conversations Around Death and Dying

FREE TO ATTEND!

Are you a passionate connector who welcomes opportunities to facilitate end-of-life conversations and likes to have fun? I am! I have a feeling that many of you also answered “yes”!

Join us for an engaging workshop where we dive into "Death over Drafts" (DoD), a unique community event designed to spark curiosity and connection around the topics of death and dying. This session will provide you with an overview of DoD, including its mission and the various opportunities to get involved as a DoD Crafter aka Host.

During our time together:

Learn more about the purpose and structure of Death over Drafts.
Discover how to become a DoD Crafter aka Host of your own events.
Engage in an interactive conversation about how individuals and communities are shifting the narrative around end-of-life discussions.
Share and explore programs that promote open, meaningful conversations about death and dying.
Whether you are already serving in the end-of-life (EOL) community or seeking connection and support, this workshop is for you. Let's come together to foster a supportive environment where talking about death is not only normalized but also enlightening and empowering.

Join us and be part of the movement that changes where, when, and how we discuss end-of-life matters.

https://ddnint.com/calendar

Welcome New Followers, and Thank You for Joining Us!

We’re excited to have you here and want to remind all Canadian hospices about our special giveaway! Thanks to a knowledge transfer grant from the Canadian Association of Medical Assessors and Providers (CAMAP), we are thrilled to offer 100 free copies of our book, The Many Faces of MAID: What to Expect When Someone You Know Chooses Medical Assistance in Dying.

If your hospice supports MAID patients and their families, please fill out the form at the link below to request your free copy.

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Pj6BUw2wTUujVnNJsH-HcBxXwSpI-dpJhTFM1i0TAmlUMlVYUVkyQVhROE9PQUlDNlM0SkJZQ083WS4u

Thank you for being a part of our community!

Join Death Doula Network International tonight at 5 pm PT for an interesting workshop you won't want to miss!

🌟 STILL TIME TO REGISTER FOR OUR WORKSHOP TONIGHT! 🌟

🗓️ June 13 · 5pm PDT

Dying, Death and Loss Through a Socially Just Lens

Join us for an enlightening workshop where we'll explore dying, death, and loss through a social justice lens. Topics include:

🌍 Why the term White should always be capitalised
🕊️ The importance of dominant and oppressed group identification in service provision
🎓 Why cultural competence is no longer the goal in a diverse society
💡 The role of self-awareness in socially just service provision
🤝 How a socially just approach benefits everyone we serve

This interactive session will provide a platform to share, unpack, discuss, and challenge the responsibilities of service providers in our diverse communities in 21st century Canada.

Keri-Lyn Durant, PhD Education, is a Research Project Lead on the SSHRC Insight Research Grant and co-host of the podcast Disrupting Death. She is a researcher at Lakehead University and a supply teacher with Bluewater District School Board, living in Wiarton, Ontario.

Keri-Lyn is passionate about supporting elementary school children as they face grief-related and socioemotional challenges brought on by the pandemic. She uses play to meet and explore grief with tiny griefsters on their level, often with the help of a puppet, Phoebe the Sloth.

Her research interests include how people, especially children and adolescents, navigate grief experiences, medical assistance in dying (MAiD) in Canada, and the programming and delivery of grief camps across Canada.

In her spare time, Keri-Lyn enjoys the outdoors with her wife, Paula, and dogs, Frank & Nitro.

✨ FREE FOR DDNI MEMBERS WITH PROMO CODE ✨

🔗https://ddnint.com/calendar

You should have a listen to what Christina Andreola has to say in this interview with Death Doula Network International about funeral event planning, the value it adds and the stress it takes off loved ones.

🌟Podcast Episode 12: Christina Andreola - Creative Celebrations for End of Life 🌟

Would you consider hiring an event planner for an end-of-life gathering?

We often think of traditional funerals or celebrations of life when it comes to honouring a loved one who has passed. But what if we could reinvent these gatherings to truly reflect the life and essence of our loved ones?

In Episode 12, we speak with Christina Andreola, an event planner who specializes in end-of-life gatherings. Christina's work goes beyond the traditional concept, creating highly personal and relevant events that allow attendees to be fully present, share stories, and remember their loved ones without regret.

Christina's approach starts with a blank notebook and an open mind, where anything is possible. From life-sized cutouts and Broadway musical themes to intimate garden parties or dinner experiences, she shows us how to celebrate a life in the most meaningful way.

Join us as Christina shares how her innovative work is making a profound difference for families, friends, and herself. Each event she plans carries forward the legacy of those who have passed, opening the door to endless possibilities for celebration.

🌿 About Christina Andreola:
Christina is the founder of New Narrative Events, the first event planning company in Canada to focus solely on celebration of life events. Founded in 2017, New Narrative Events specializes in both in-person and virtual memorial services, ensuring that loved ones can connect and remember, no matter the distance.

You can learn more about Christina and contact her here:

www.newnarrativeevents.com

and

www.planacelebrationoflife.com for her course Plan a Celebration of Life

TUNE IN HERE: https://dishingdoulas.podbean.com/

Time passes quicker than we realize sometimes

Truth

Join Death Doula Network International June 13 5 pm PT as Keri-Lyn Durant helps us understand more about cultural humility and social justice

🕊️ Join Us for an Enlightening Workshop on Dying, Death, and Loss Through a Socially Just Lens 🕊️

Presenter: Keri-Lyn Durant, PhD

We are thrilled to invite you to an exclusive workshop with Keri-Lyn Durant, an expert in Dying, Death, and Loss education. With extensive research experience at Lakehead University and a passion for Social Justice Education, Keri-Lyn brings a wealth of knowledge and a fresh perspective.

Workshop Highlights:

🌟 Dive into the intersection of social justice with dying, death, and loss

🌟 Understand why "White" should always be capitalized

🌟 Learn the importance of dominant and oppressed group identification in service provision

🌟 Discover why cultural competence is no longer the goal in a diverse society

🌟 Emphasize self-awareness in socially just service provision

🌟 Apply a socially just approach to everyone we serve

This interactive workshop is designed to provide a platform to share, discuss, and challenge the responsibilities of service providers in our diverse communities in 21st-century Canada.

🗓️ Date: June 13, 2024

🕒 Time: 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM PST

📍 Location: Online (Zoom)

🔗 Register now at https://ddnint.com/calendar

FREE for DDNI members with promo code!

Don’t miss this unique opportunity to deepen your understanding and make a meaningful impact in your service provision. Let’s come together to learn, share, and grow! 🌍✨