After a loved one dies, why keep the body at home? What advantages are there to undertaking the death related tasks ourselves? Don Morris, a death educator from Victoria and one of our teachers, has written the following: Enhances participation – Home funeral vigils offer opportunities for participation which fosters healing from grief. Rochelle Martin of Ontario’s Home Funeral Alternatives says, “family…
Choice in Supports for Independent Living (CSIL) is a program offered in British Columbia. CSIL is an alternative way for people with disabilities in BC to receive home support services. When a person has a life-threatening illness, they may require a substantial amount of care for a period of time. Home support services and palliative care benefits are available and helpful,…
21 of us met in the Commons area, as we could not access the Pioneer Room. It was lovely to meet out-of-doors. Sally Houghton, Quadra’s new Notary Public, gave an informative presentation, and answered questions, about “Estate Planning vs. Personal Planning – what’s the difference?” She told us about the documents that are useful while we are still alive: Power…
When you are a Bear of Very Little Brain, and you Think of Things, you find sometimes that a Thing which seemed very Thingish inside you is quite different when it gets out into the open and has other people looking at it.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh When we are grieving, we may want to distance ourselves from our anger, confusion, or pain….
Aquamation is a method of cremation that is significantly more environmentally responsible than fire-based cremation. Also known as alkaline hydrolysis, resomation, and water cremation, it involves liquefying the body under pressure in a mixture of potassium hydroxide and water. The decomposition process is the same as that which occurs naturally when a body is buried, but at an accelerated rate….
We met in the Pioneer Room of the Manson’s Hall. 18 present. Margaret V chaired the meeting. Educational Presentation After our usual time of sharing, Priya Huffman gave an eloquent and thoughtful presentation on “Care of the Body, Jewish Practices.” She shared that Jewish communities have a group of men and women called the Chevra Kadisha, who tend to the…
Jennifer Stevens died at home on Cortes Island on July 26th, 2022, surrounded by her family. Her body was tended to and remained in her cabin for three days. The friend who built an exquisite casket said, “It was really hard to build that coffin, I just wanted to keep working on it, keep adding things to it, I loved…
If you’re named as the executor in someone’s Will, you may need to probate the Will. Probate is a procedure done in court that confirms the Will is legally valid. Financial institutions and others holding assets of the estate often require assurance the Will presented is legally valid before transferring funds or assets. The executor of the Will may also…
A Will is a legal document that sets out what will happen after you die to (most of) your property and any minor children. It’s an important legal document, and one every adult should have. If you have considerable assets, if your Will might be contested, or if it’s complicated, it is wise to pay for the help of a…
Suzanne B. O’Brien RN, creator of Doulagivers, has been at the forefront of the End-of-Life Doula Movement in the United States since it began building momentum nearly a decade ago. She has years of experience working with over one thousand end-of-life patients as a hospice nurse and palliative care professional. Suzanne writes that Death is currently the number one fear…