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“Final Conversations: Helping the Living and the Dying Talk to Each Other”
Conversation guide facilitates authentic communication at end of lifeWhat do you say to your loved one when you don’t know if those words will be the last you ever share with them? Maureen P. Keeley, Ph.D., and Julie M. Yingling, Ph.D. know how complicated and nebulous it sometimes feels to speak with someone who is dying. Their guidebook, “Final Conversations: Helping the Living and…
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The Judaic Tradition of Ethical Wills
Ethical wills have been part of Jewish heritage for generationsAn ethical will — also known as a “legacy letter” — is a document that bequeaths not material goods, but ideas and values. For Jewish people, ethical wills are a recognized part of how their faith is passed on from one generation to the next. Documentation from the Middle Ages shows us that, around that…
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Swaddling May Contribute to the Risk of SIDS
Raising awareness of safe sleeping techniques may save lives and prevent the devastation of infant lossIn 1988, President Ronald Reagan declared the month of October Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, claiming in his October 25th proclamation that the national monthly observance, “offers us the opportunity to increase our understanding of the great tragedy involved in the deaths of unborn and newborn babies. It also enables us to consider how, as…
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Bowing Out Gracefully
Is the key to a “good” death following your heart?Yesterday I read that Norma Jean Bauerschmidt, the 91-year-old woman who gained social media fame when she took to Facebook to share the last year of her life, had died. Norma was diagnosed with uterine cancer in 2015, just two weeks before her husband of 67 years passed away. Urged by her doctor to undergo…
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Monday Hearts for Madalene
Page Hodel creates beautiful hearts as a tribute to enduring loveIt’s an honor for SevenPonds to share with our readers the story of the Monday Hearts for Madalene project, a true account of the power of love in the midst of death.The project’s origins take us to 2005: the moment Page Hodel encountered Madalene Rodriguez and fell “instantly, dizzyingly in love with her.” The couple’s first meeting was electric,…
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With So Many New Websites and Apps About End of Life Cropping Up Each Day
Is anyone out there doing their homework?Over the last 15 years I’ve witnessed the creation of many different websites aimed at new approaches around end of life. I’m not talking about basic websites with pragmatic information (like us.) No, I’m talking about high-tech, farther-reaching ideas. I’ve seen online memorials, which are usually abandoned once the memorial service has taken place; sites that…
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What is a Death Care Midwife? (Interview)
An expert shares her advice on alternative ways to personally memorialize your loved oneToday SevenPonds speaks to Akhila Murphy, a trained death-care midwife who has been practicing since 2013. Murphy’s job is to help families create beautiful personalized memorial services for loved ones inside their own homes. In this first part of our two-part interview, Akhila discusses the fundamental responsibilities of her job, the path she took to…
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Our Weekly Tip: Hold a Beachside Memorial for Your Loved One
Gather friends and family to honor your loved one as the tide comes inOur Tip of the Week: Nothing captures the ephemeral nature of life more fully than the ebb and flow of the tide. Each day, the ocean rises to meet the land, drawn by unseen, inexorable forces we don’t fully understand. Later, just as predictably, the waters recede, taking with them a small piece of what was left…
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