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
Jan 18, 2022
Jan 18, 2022
39 min
Sure, it's important to talk about death and what we want. But how do you even begin this conversation? What if you're ready to talk but someone else is resistant? And what do we even need to talk about?
In this episode I interview Kate deBartolo from The Conversation Project, and Lisa Pahl and Lori LoCicero from The Death Deck. They share tools and personal stories that can help you get the conversation started, regardless of how comfortable (or uncomfortable) you and your loved ones are with the topic.
https://theconversationproject.org/
https://www.instagram.com/thedeathdeck/
Jan 4, 2022
Jan 4, 2022
13 min
Just what kinds of things would be useful to the people we'll leave behind when we die? What decisions need to be made? What goes into a "Death Binder"?
Dec 23, 2021
Dec 23, 2021
37 min
Presenting three books with good lessons learned from the dying on how to live (and die) well:
- The Top Five Regrets of the Dying - Bronnie Ware
- The Four Things That Matter Most - Ira Byock
- When Breath Becomes Air - Paul Kalanithi
Related links:
Bronnie Ware’s blog post that started it all:
https://bronnieware.com/blog/regrets-of-the-dying/
Link to Ira Byock's book page:
https://irabyock.org/books/the-four-things-that-matter-most/
Lucy Kalanithi speaks at TEDMED
https://www.ted.com/talks/lucy_kalanithi_what_makes_life_worth_living_in_the_face_of_death
Dec 7, 2021
Dec 7, 2021
45 min
Karen Reppen describes herself as being once "the most death phobic person on the planet." Now she's on the board of the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) and an advocate for death education. In this interview, she shares what she learned on her journey to overcome her fear of death, what an end-of-life doula does, and thoughts on NEDA's role in the death positivity movement.
Nov 23, 2021
Nov 23, 2021
13 min
Logistics are not the only things that complicate death. The holidays can be an emotional time. Here are five ways to help take care of the emotional side of the impact your death will have on those you love.
Nov 9, 2021
Nov 9, 2021
22 min
We often refer to the idea of a "good death" without really digging in to what that means for us. But being clear about it is critical when it comes to completing an Advance Care Directive.
Oct 27, 2021
Oct 27, 2021
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 12, 2021
Oct 12, 2021
41 min
Have questions about estate planning? Listen in on my first conversation with an estate lawyer, Kathleen Hunt. I ask basic questions and learn so much!
Sep 14, 2021
Sep 7, 2021
Sep 7, 2021
34 min
"Hospice is not giving up." Retired hospice nurse Edwina Moldover clears up misconceptions about hospice and says that the biggest mistake we make is not accessing hospice earlier.