Dying a “Good Death”
What is Death Wellness?
The death wellness movement rethinks the way we approach death. Death wellness or "dying well "is a trend where individuals, academics, spiritual leaders, and healthcare professionals collaborate and help their clients or loved ones plan for a peaceful, comfortable, and intentional end-of-life experience.
Instead of running away from the idea of death, more people are changing their approach and embracing the inevitable. By confronting anxiety around dying and learning how to best support each other through the process of death, life can be lived more fully and intentionally. People are having hard conversations now instead of later, making people more grounded and less reactive during an intense grieving process. They provide clear decisions around the death process and wishes, which lessens the suffering for all involved.
Rethinking Our Approach To Death
The hard truth about modern-day death in America is that most people's final wishes aren't realized. Surveys show 80 percent of people would prefer to die at home surrounded by loved ones. However, most people die in hospitals, hospice centers, or nursing homes. I'm sure you've heard the phrase, "If that happens to me, pull the plug!" when you have seen or heard someone else being kept alive through a menagerie of machines. That is one of the reasons it is vital to get your affairs in order long before the typical age of death. Tomorrow is never a guarantee, so it is crucial to have a plan that clearly outlines your wishes so you will have a voice in those decisions.
We must face our own mortality so that we can be more present. Medical innovations can keep us breathing, but death is a human experience, the bookend to our precious births.
Just imagine if we spent as much time planning our death as we do planning a birth. You have the power to create the death experience you desire. The communication, planning, and clear choices you make for your earthly departure can be a final gift to your loved ones and supports your well-lived life by dying well.
What Can I Do?
Several resources are available to support the Death Wellness Movement that can help you change the narrative around death. Below are several innovative ways to promote Death Wellness.
End of Life Doula
An EOLD is a trained non-medical professional who provides emotional, physical, spiritual, and educational support for someone nearing death. They can be considered an advocate for the final chapter of life. Learn more about Jenny's EOLD services here.
Death Café
Death Cafés gather the curious to discuss their fears about death, whether their own death or the death of someone they love. There is no staff at a Death Café: you will find locals in the area hosting friends, family, and community members who would like to discuss this topic.
Death Over Dinner
Death Over Dinner is a program that helps guide a discussion around end-of-life planning with friends and family. The Death Over Dinner website makes it easy to host your own event. Fill out their questionnaire, decide who will join you for dinner, tell them what prompted the dinner, and choose a few reading materials on death. Death Over Dinner generates an invitation template sent to those attending the dinner, letting them know what they can expect.
Living Wake
A living wake is generally the same ceremony as a traditional wake or funeral, except it happens before the person has died. It becomes a chance for a community of friends and family to come together and tell a loved one about the impact they have made in their lives while they are still here to hear it in person.
Grief Retreats
Grief retreats are a way to escape the day-to-day feelings of disconnect. Meet and connect with others going through the same experience so that the individual can build their new normal without their loved one.
Legacy Project
Legacy projects are another way to honor your death or provide support and solace for a grieving loved one. Some write books, others work with politicians or doctors to have laws changed, and others still will do a 5K to raise awareness or funds for their loved one's death. Consider a project or change you can make that will forever honor the legacy of your loved one.
Actively planning for a peaceful departure on your own terms will bring a calm serenity to the end of your or your loved ones' life. I would love to discuss Balanced Soul's end-of-life services or dying well. Learn more or contact me to get started.
In life,
Jenny