Minutes from Meeting, Nov 21, 2023

We gathered in the Pioneer Room of the Manson’s Hall. Margaret chaired. At this meeting Kathleen Monahan, Coordinator of the Nav-CARE program recently launched by Quadra Circle, joined us on the screen. The Nav-CARE program will extend to Cortes Island in 2024, continuing the Compassionate Community Project launched this summer and currently being coordinated by Carina. Kathleen will tell us…

When Someone Dies

Written by Dr. Sarah Kerr, PhD, The Centre for Sacred Deathcare https://sacreddeathcare.com/ When someone dies, the first thing to do is nothing. Don’t run out and call the nurse. Don’t pick up the phone. Take a deep breath and be present to the magnitude of the moment.  There’s a grace to being at the bedside of someone you love as…

Minutes from Meeting Oct 17, 2023

14 people came in person, 3 using Zoom. Fawn chaired the meeting. After our time of sharing, Noba gave a presentation on her experience helping a dear friend in Victoria through the process of getting her house in order, and preparing for MAiD. It was a touching presentation. Noba’s involvement demonstrates the profound healing an end-of-life doula may be privileged…

Cultivating Death Acceptance

For as long as humans have been recording their history, death anxiety has been a pervasive theme. From Gilgamesh’s 4000-year-old laments over his own mortality, to recent attempts to preserve one’s body using cryogenics (an effort not dissimilar in its goal to the ancient Egyptian practice of mummification), our species has grappled with our own impermanence in myriad ways. Themes…

Minutes from Meeting Sep 19, 2023

27 people came in person, 2 using Zoom. Fawn chaired the meeting. Darshan Stevens gave a presentation, with support and comments from family members Alex, Forest, and Emily. Darshan shared an aspect of her experience leading up to the death of both her mother Jen, and her step-father-in-law Doug. With slides and gorgeous photos, she took us on the roller-coaster…

Death and Taxes

In end-of-life planning, there are two main taxes to consider; probate tax and personal income tax. Probate, the subject of a previous article, is a court certification process which requires a list of your assets and their estimated value. The probate tax on estates with a value greater than $50,000 is currently 1.4% of this total value. Personal income tax is paid on your final…

No Flowers, No Funeral, No Fuss?

When thinking ahead to their own funeral service, a significant number of people choose “No Flowers, No Funeral, No Fuss”. By requesting no service, you may believe you are sparing your family unnecessary heartache, effort, and expense. You may know people whose lives are already crammed with too many activities, worries, and deadlines, or relatives who will feel obliged to…