We are all going to die. And someone will have to handle what we leave behind. Odds are good that person will be someone who loved us, someone who will be grieving. Let’s not make it harder for them than it has to be. Let’s make some key decisions now in order to be kinder to those we’ll leave behind. What kind of decisions? Welcome to Dying Kindness, the podcast for people who are going to die someday. Host Cianna Stewart is learning about death and dying, and sharing information and tips along the way. Episodes include practical information, philosophical musings, interviews, and a dose of morbid humor. Because we’re all going die someday and we should learn how to talk about it.
Episodes
Dec 8, 2022
Dec 8, 2022
14 min
Do you have a signature dish? Have you written down the recipe? Why you should record how to make foods associated with you so others can make it when you're gone.
Buy "Like Water for Chocolate" by Laura Esquivel at Bookshop.org (affiliate link)
Nov 11, 2022
Nov 11, 2022
57 min
Maybe you've told people what you want done with your body when you die. Have you also written down exactly what you want for your funeral? And have you paid for it?
Dean Lambert from the Love Always Project knows firsthand how easy it can be to miss important details when planning a funeral. He shares his 30 years of experience as well as personal stories to encourage everyone to arrange and fund their own funerals in advance.
In this episode:
https://www.lovealwaysproject.org/
https://www.dyingkindness.com/
https://www.dyingkindness.com/support/
Oct 27, 2022
Oct 27, 2022
15 min
Samhain. Halloween. All Saints Day. All Souls Day. Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).
All of these holidays are about the connection between the living and the dead. And they all present the dead in different ways. Taking a look at these differences can be a fun way to think about where we get our concepts about death and how our loved ones might relate to us after we die.
Oct 13, 2022
Oct 13, 2022
15 min
What is a revocable living trust and who needs one? What's the difference between a will and a trust? If you have a will, do you need a trust?
Mentioned:
Natural Organic Reduction in California: https://recompose.life/2022/california/
https://www.dyingkindness.com/
Dying Kindness bookstore: https://bookshop.org/lists/dying-kindness
Sep 29, 2022
Sep 29, 2022
26 min
A discussion with Edward Bixby of the Green Burial Council on eco-friendly burial options – and the consumer's role in helping expand what's available.
Mentioned in this episode:
https://www.dyingkindness.com/
https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/
GBC map of certified providers: https://www.greenburialcouncil.org/interactive-maps.html
https://destinationdestinymemorials.com/
https://www.steelmantowncemetery.com/
"Climate Change: The massive CO2 emitter you may not know about" by Lucy Rodgers for BBC
"Lawn Maintenance and Climate Change" paper by Princeton Student Climate Initiative
"This heatwave is a reminder that grass lawns are terrible for the environment" article by Akin Olla for The Guardian
Sep 13, 2022
Sep 13, 2022
12 min
In addition to choosing an emergency contact, you should prepare contact lists for who they should call if you ended up in a crisis or need longer-term support. In this episode, Cianna goes over what kinds of contact lists you should prepare for different situations.
Aug 17, 2022
Aug 17, 2022
11 min
We all know we should write a will, but how do you get started? Here are some tips on what to prepare that will make it easier and will save you time and money when you sit down to write your own will.
Referenced:
Episode 4: The Value of Physical Stuff
Book: The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness, and Joy (affiliate link)
Aug 3, 2022
Aug 3, 2022
1hr 1 min
People are living longer and longer. While generally that's a good thing, it also means that more of us are going to need long-term care – and that can get expensive. What is long-term care? What options are there? And how can we plan for it?
In this episode, Cianna talks with leading LTC expert Matt McCann. McCann is recognized as one of the nation's leading long-term health care specialists, and is the publisher of LTC News.
Mentioned in this episode:
- Consumer focused news & resources: LTCnews.com
- McCann Insurance Services: RadioLTC.com
- Information from U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services: LongTermCare.gov
- American Association for Long-Term Care Insurance: AALTCI.org
Medical bills are leading cause of bankruptcy
U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services report shows “70% of adults who survive to age 65 develop severe LTSS needs before they die and 48% receive some paid care over their lifetime”
About Larry Lujack
Jul 19, 2022
Jul 19, 2022
16 min
If you were to become incapacitated or die suddenly, what would your people need to know?
This is a replay of Episode 1, updated to include an announcement for BinderDash, a workshop + co-working session to help you get the Essentials of your Death Binder done: https://binderdash-august2022.rsvpify.com
Jul 9, 2022
Jul 9, 2022
7 min
The decisions made by the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) during this past session raised some concerns about how certain classes of people and situations will be different treated from state to state. Cianna shares some initial thoughts about steps to take related to advance directives and other concerns around death and dying moving forward.