Shows / Best Life Best Death
Episodes
Best Life Best Death#139 Seeing Death as Part of Life: Changing Culture Through Film – Johanna Lunn, Director
Several years ago, film Director Johanna Lunn set out to make a movie about death. What she quickly discovered was that there were enormous amounts of material…
Best Life Best Death#138 Hospice Information Is a Phone Call Away – Helen Bauer, Founder of Hospice Navigation Services
Helen Bauer is one of those people who makes connections and disseminates information in every way she can think of! With 500+ podcast episodes of The Heart of…
Best Life Best Death#137 Thoughts in Passing - Portraits and Stories at the End of Life – Claudia Bicen, Artist
I reached out to artist Claudia Biçen when I learned about an installation she had created some years ago that combined the portraits and words of hospice…
Best Life Best Death#136 What Is the Arc of a Meaningful Memorial Service? – Shari Stern, Celebrant
We have probably all attended funerals that we found meaningful – and services that fell flat. What are the parts that make up a meaningful memorial service?…
Best Life Best Death#135 Thoughts on Planning for the Inevitable – Sue Mackey, Founder of Out of the Box End of Life Planning
Nothing like talking to an expert in the field to clarify what truly matters! Sue Mackey has been working for more than 15 years to help people prepare for the…
Best Life Best Death#134 In Their Honor: Veterans and the End of Life – Dr. Qwynn Galloway-Salazar
Dr. Qwynn Galloway-Salazar brings her experience as a veteran and spouse of a combat veteran straight into her work as a death doula and educator. She sees the…
Best Life Best Death#133 Eldercare Is Episodic – Rick Northrup
This week I have a conversation with none other than an old family friend. And while I love talking to the experts out there, there’s something just kinda…
Best Life Best Death#132 Scams and Fraud: What You Need to Know! – Amy Nofziger, AARP expert
Amy Nofziger is the Director of Victim Support for the AARP Fraud Watch Network and has nearly two decades of experience in fraud prevention and victim…
Best Life Best Death#131 Visiting When Someone Is Dying - “Always go to Ohio” – Jennifer Graham
What would it mean to you to “Always go to Ohio”? In this episode, author Jennifer Graham and I ponder the question: why show up? Whether for a next door…
Best Life Best Death#130 The Wind Phone Phenomenon – Grief, Connection, Art, & Service – Amy Dawson of My Wind Phone
In this episode, learn about “wind phones” — what are they, where are they, who is making them, and why? Created to share a continuing relationship with…
Best Life Best Death#129 Navigating Modern, Meaningful Caregiving - Allison Applebaum, Ph.D.
Allison Applebaum, Ph.D. sees caregiving through both a personal and professional lens, giving her a unique take on the logistics of individual situations as…
Best Life Best Death#128 How to Train Your Doctor – Dr. Matthew Tyler
Dr Matthew Tyler is a palliative doctor and champion via social media for having the hard conversations when necessary. He knows that doctors are doing their…
Best Life Best Death#127 Dying in Community: The Last Ecstatic Days of Ethan Sisser - Dr Aditi Sethi
This conversation with Dr Aditi Sethi is a heart-felt discussion of a film, a doctor’s experience of an unusual patient, and the idea that “death has value.”…
Best Life Best Death#126 Why Have a Conversation about Mortality? (and how the heck do we even begin??) – Reena Lazar, Willow End of Life Education and Planning
Willow End of Life Education and Planning is all about changing the conversation around death and dying to include living. As Reena Lazar says, “All that…
Best Life Best Death#125 How Is Caregiving for Someone Who is Dying Different? – Katie Duncan, Death Care Coach, Part 2
Caring for someone who is dying takes a different approach, and family members may not always remember that or see that it is no longer time to "seek a cure."…
Best Life Best Death#124 How Do We Cope with Long Term Caregiving? – Katie Duncan, Death Care Coach, Part 1
At some point in your life, caregiving will likely come upon you, if it hasn’t already. As Rosalynn Carter noted, there are only four kinds of people in this…
Best Life Best Death#123 The Experience of Aging and the Myth of Independence – Sonya Barsness, Gerontologist
Sonya Barsness brings theory and practice together in her work and teaching as a "revisionary" Gerontologist. How can we improve the experience of aging in the…
Best Life Best Death#122 A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death – Diane Hullet
Why is this one of my favorite books? How can a book like this have a positive impact on your view of your life *and* your death? What are some pragmatic…
Best Life Best Death#121 The Heart of Hospice and Best Life Best Death in Conversation - Helen Bauer and Diane Hullet
This week: a joint podcast with The Heart of Hospice and host Helen Bauer. This is swift-talking, wide-ranging, longer-than-usual chat! What brought me into…
Best Life Best Death#120 Choices at the End of Life Part 2: Dementia Advance Directives and Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking – Chaplain Hank Dunn
Description:This podcast is jampacked with content, including a discussion of advance directives for dementia, Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking, and a…
Best Life Best Death#119 Choices at the End of Life Part 1: Crisis Decision Making – Chaplain Hank Dunn
When difficult choices arise around healthcare and the nearing end of life, Hank Dunn has some ideas to help us decide what to do. In his book, Hard Choices…
Best Life Best Death#118 Three Doulas and The Doula Tool Kit – Diane Button, Gabby Jimenez and Angela Shook
What an honor to chat with three leading doulas and teachers, Diane Button, Gabby Jimenez and Angela Shook. Their new book combines the best of all that they…
Best Life Best Death#117 What Do We Mean by “New” and “Greener” After Death Care? – Eric Rooney, Regeneration Earth
Eric Rooney and I talk about what it might mean to have a “greener” mindset about death, and how “natural burial” is not new at all, in the Big Scheme of human…
Best Life Best Death#116 Thanksgiving Gratitude – Hank Dunn, Chaplain
This week, in honor of Thanksgiving here in the US, I share a brief conversation with Hospice Chaplain Hank Dunn. He reads two moving pieces from his book…
Best Life Best Death#115 Sharing the Stories and Artifacts of Our Lives – Heather Nickerson, Artifcts Founder
What’s the latest way to organize your stuff and plan for where it goes when you are gone? Enjoy my conversation with Heather Nickerson, Founder of Artifcts…
Best Life Best Death#114 Dementia – How Do We Approach This Long Road? Kay Adams, Dementia Coach and Author
Dementia is disruptive, incredibly so. You can’t get help for what you don’t understand, so this path requires gathering information, pushing for an accurate…
Best Life Best Death#113 What Is the Enneagram? - Renee Rosario, Narrative Enneagram
The Enneagram is a psychological and spiritual map… and a fascinating predictor of what motivates you, drives your responses to others and shows you where your…
Best Life Best Death#99 As Good as Hospice Can Be… There Are Gaps – Susan Elliott, End of Life Coach and Doula
When Susan Elliott’s mother was at home on hospice, she was cared for by her husband and adult children. These primary caregivers received a great deal of…
Best Life Best Death#112 What is a Healthcare Advocate? – Ashley Bright, Founder of Life Journey Advisors
Ashley Bright asks an incredibly important question: Who can families turn to, in order to get guidance in navigating the complexities of healthcare these…
Best Life Best Death#111 Living Fully and Dying Prepared – Francesca Arnoldy, Author and Community Doula
Francesca Arnoldy takes us into the Big Picture overview of why conversations about mortality matter. She notes, “We need to remember what it is to be mortal……
Best Life Best Death#110 Do No Harm: A Conversation with Dr Diana Barnard, Vermont Palliative Care Provider — Dr Diana Barnard
Dr. Diana Barnard is one of those doctors you hope to have sitting in a room with you when decisions have to be made. Thoughtful, patient- and family-focused…
Best Life Best Death#109 Loose Ends: Finishing the Project Someone Else Started - with CoCreators Jennifer Simonic and Masey Kaplan
This world-wide project, called Loose Ends, started in 2022 and “aims to ease grief, create community, and inspire generosity by matching volunteer handwork…
Best Life Best Death#108 Last Flight Home: A Family's Experience with the End of Life Option Act in California - Ondi Timoner, Filmmaker and Founder/CEO of Interloper Films
It is not often that a film captures some of the most tender moments of a family’s experience and shares the love and lessons from a beloved man at the end of…
Best Life Best Death#107 This Conversation is for All of Us: Suicide - Cait Maddan, Death Doula/Educator with a Focus in Suicide Care and Conversations
Starting with material from her digital workbook called "How to Live with Suicidal Ideations," Cait and I discuss how to move from fear and a focus on “100%…
Best Life Best Death#106 Dignity Day: The Experience of Choosing Medical Aid in Dying for Individuals and Families — Gabby Jimenez — Hospice Nurse, Doula and End of Life Educator
Hospice Nurse and dynamic educator, Gabby Jimenez shares thoughts from her latest book, “Dignity Day: A guidebook for anyone searching for comfort and clarity…
Best Life Best Death#105 We Will All Be Called to Care for Someone at the End of Life - Suzanne O'Brien RN
Founder of of the Doulagivers Institute, one of the largest doula training institutes in the US, Suzanne O’Brien RN shares her expertise and opinions about how…
Best Life Best Death#104 What Is the Role of a Hospice Chaplain? - Ellie Douglass and Kathy Gambino, Hospice Chaplains
This week enjoy the perspectives of two hospice chaplains, Ellie Douglass and Kathy Gambino. What does their job entail? What role do they play on a hospice…
Best Life Best Death#103 How Talking about Death Changes Your Life - Aimee Yawnick, Death Doula and End of Life Coach
This week I talk with my friend and colleague Aimee Yawnick. She and I are both end-of-life coaches who teach classes and workshops + work with individuals. In…
Best Life Best Death#102 Why Bother with Social Media - Joyce Feustel, Boomer Social Media Tutor
As we age, one of the biggest things we need is social connections! Listen in as social media tutor and trainer Joyce Feustel and I talk about how social media…
Best Life Best Death#101 Another View of Dementia - Emerson Lee, Dementia Readiness Coach and Life Enrichment Specialist
Emerson Lee shares a view of dementia that broadens how we perceive the loss of cognitive abilities – and thus might shift how we deal with such changes. What…
Best Life Best Death#100 Let's Talk about Death and Dying - Penny Smith, aka Hospice Nurse Penny
Hospice Nurse Penny is everywhere on social media with her fast-paced, humorous, informative commentary, through which she offers education about death and…
Best Life Best Death#98 The Experience of the Hospice Doctor's Widow: An Art Journal of Love and Loss - Jennifer O'Brien, Author and Artist
Jennifer and I talk about this rare treat of the book she created! Intimate, never preachy; concrete but not a self-help book; art-sy but so much more…
Best Life Best Death#97 Bonus Episode #1 - Extra Material from Theresa Brown, Barbara Karnes and Avani Dilger
In this Bonus Episode #1, I tell you more about why I interviewed these people, and they each share more about themselves and their work. Hear more from…
Best Life Best Death#96 How Is the End of Life Deck a Conversation Starter? - Lisa Pahl and Lori LoCicero, Co-Creators of The Death Deck
Lisa Pahl and Lori LoCicero met when Lori’s husband was dying, in his 40s. Together, they realized they could create a tool to help families and friends start…
Best Life Best Death#95 Caring for People with Disabilities at the End of Life: Getting Comfortable with Being Uncomfortable - Carrie Batt, Death Doula and Grief Educator
Carrie is a doula and a sister to a man with disabilities. She wants people to consider how communication, comprehension and pain management are different…
Best Life Best Death#94 What Is Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation? - Cheryl Talley, Director of PR and Communications for the Donor Alliance
Talking with Cheryl made me more keenly aware of the ripple effect that donations have in the world. Organ, eye and tissue donations are life-saving. We talk…
Best Life Best Death#93 Financial Matters: How Do You Know Which Questions to Ask? - Shane Phillips - Founder of First Steps Help
Let's delve into financial matters with expert Shane Phillips! As Shane says, “The genesis of my work is seeing that most people are not prepared.” We discuss…
Best Life Best Death#92 Dying with Dad: Tough Talks for Easier Endings - Yvonne Caputo - Author
Yvonne Caputo felt compelled to write about her experiences with her father and family. She wrote "Flying with Dad: A Daughter. A Father. And the Hidden Gifts…
Best Life Best Death#91 It's Hard Being You: A Primer on Being Happy Anyway - Sharon Emery - Author
Working with a severe stutter in the field of communication, Sharon Emery faced huge challenges daily. Finding love, raising children, creating satisfying work…
Best Life Best Death#90 Donating Your Body to Science: Why? How? - Kate Serr - Admin Coordinator for the Colorado State Anatomical Board
Every state has a process to donate your whole body to science when you die. This week I talk to Kate Serr, organizer of this program for the state of Colorado…
Best Life Best Death#89 Doulas… from the First Breath to the Last: A Conversation with a Birth Doula and an End-of-Life Doula - Gabby Jimenez and Claudia Peñate
This episode I talk with two doulas, Gabby Jimenez and Claudia Peñate. Both of them: work with individuals and families; offer guidance, support and education…
Best Life Best Death#88 The Art and Science of Reconstruction - Monica Torres - Funeral Director, Embalming and Reconstruction Specialist
This week’s BLBD conversation covers embalming and reconstruction with Funeral Director and specialist Monica Torres. What is it? Who wants it? Why is it…
Best Life Best Death#87 Patient-Centered Care and Medical Assistance in Dying - Dr Stefanie Green - Doctor, Author, Speaker, Educator
Dr Stefanie Green is a Canadian physician with a whole lot of experience and information to share about MAID. What is Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada?…
Best Life Best Death#86 What Does Active Dying Look Like? Julie McFadden, aka Hospice Nurse Julie - RN/BSN, Social Media Educator
Hospice Nurse Julie delves into the details of dying, so that we can all learn more ahead of time and be better prepared when someone we love is at the end of…
Best Life Best Death#85 Help Texts: Expert Support in Hard Times - Emma Payne, Founder and Barbara Karnes, RN and Educator
So many people are struggling with grief, burnout, caregiving, and more. The idea behind Help Texts is to get expert support directly into people's hands -…
Best Life Best Death#84 Jack Has a Plan, A Documentary Film - Bradley Berman - Director
"Jack Has a Plan" is a 73-minute personal documentary which follows the story of a man diagnosed with a brain tumor. Director Bradley Berman says, “This is…
Best Life Best Death#83 The Perplexing Fundamental Truth of Death - Jade Adgate - Founder, Farewell Fellowship
Jade and I were on such a roll when we recorded our podcast that, well, we just kept going! Part 1 is about death literacy, books we love, literature, how to…
Best Life Best Death#82 How Reading Shapes Our Experience of Death and Loss - Jade Adgate - Founder, Farewell Fellowship
Jade Adgate and I both love to read and we love to read books that expose us to new angles of death, dying, loss and grief. Sounds miserable, eh? But it’s…
Best Life Best Death#81 Stuff: What to Do with It? - Louis Clough, Founder of Transitions by National Rarities
As a specialist in selling the many and varied items in an estate after someone has died, Louis Clough has some thoughts to share about stuff. How does the…
Best Life Best Death#80 Making Meaning at the End of Life - Rhea Mader, End-of-Life Practitioner
In her work as an end of-life practitioner, Rhea Mader finds herself in the deep end of the pool when it comes to conversations! Sometimes she simply brings…