“The idea is to die young as late as possible” - Ashley Montagu
Reflecting on our world’s current state, I feel urgency discussing death preparation. With 8 billion people reaching unsustainable levels and crises like COVID, climate change, mass shootings, wars, and domestic violence, life and death’s natural cycle grows increasingly complex. Rather than feeling powerless, I believe being resilient and proactive while alive can determine how we lived and die.
Preparing for death is about planning for life’s end and living with intention and purpose.
You’re Never Too Young or Too Old to Make End-of-Life Plans
I once thought only older people needed end-of-life planning. Wake-up calls taught me how important preparedness truly is. I learned that living, eating, and working like the future matters can make death and afterlife integral to thriving life.
When young and healthy, invincibility feels real—but we’re not immortal. We never know what life brings, so it’s never too early or late for end-of-life plans. Tragic events—accidents in your community or loved ones’ sudden deaths—reveal life’s fragility.
Over recent months, interviewing professionals in the end-of-life field has been enriching. Learning living-to-dying-to-death phases from various perspectives has been fascinating. I’m thrilled announcing Ruth Boydell, an End of Life Educator and Doula, joining me this week on A Dose of Positivity for live broadcast. Please join us.
Understanding Death Doulas and End-of-Life Support
Death doulas or death midwives are professionals providing non-medical, holistic support to people and families during end-of-life journeys. They offer emotional, spiritual, and practical guidance helping individuals and loved ones navigate life’s natural conclusion with dignity, grace, and honor.
Pro Tips for End-of-Life Conversations
With Children:
- Ask open-ended questions encouraging reflection
- Ask how they’d like to be remembered
- Educate about natural life processes including death
- Help them accept life’s natural progression
- Foster compassion when others experience losses
With Teenagers:
- Be open and honest—they may have experienced unexpected friend deaths, intensifying emotions
- Discuss organ donation and life support thoughts
- Compare and contrast beliefs to reach conclusions about their wishes
With Adults:
- Plan and prepare discussions rather than blindside them
- Decide on medical consent and decision-makers if incapacitated
- Discuss burial or cremation preferences and costs
- Consider living wills
- If life is transitioning, consider working with death doulas or end-of-life specialists
The more comfortable we are with the process, the more fulfilling life becomes.
The Role of Death Doulas
Death doulas provide practical support including:
- Help with advance care planning
- End-of-life decision-making
- Creating peaceful, comfortable environments
- Coordinating care with medical professionals
Emotional support includes:
- Listening and offering comfort
- Helping process feelings
- Supporting families during post-death periods
- Providing guidance on rituals
- Handling funeral arrangements and legal matters
Death doulas recognize each person’s end-of-life journey is unique. They create personalized care plans honoring individual wishes and values, providing gentle guidance through life’s natural conclusion with grace and dignity.
Resources for End-of-Life Planning
Explore these organizations for guidance and support:
- International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) - Resources, training, and certified doula directory
- National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) - Information on hospice and palliative care with provider directory
- Doula UK - Birth and end-of-life doula information with UK certified doula directory
- Death Cafe - Safe, supportive platform discussing death and dying
- The Order of the Good Death - Death positivity resources and alternative funeral practice information
A Living Will is peace of mind.
Reframing Our Relationship With Death
Part of death’s scariness is our attitudes about it. The easier we approach the subject, the easier discussing it becomes. You’re never too young to consider how you want medical support and care when dying.
Remember: the idea is to die young, as late as possible. So let’s be prepared and live fully, knowing we’ve cared for ourselves and loved ones. By living, eating, and working like the future matters, we make death and afterlife part of thriving life.
Living Like the Future Matters
By Donna Maltz
Live like the future matters, Embrace each moment with care. For every breath we take, Is a gift that we should share.
Let’s not fear the unknown, Nor the inevitable end. For life is a precious journey, That we must learn to comprehend.
Believe what you will, But let it guide you with grace. For how we live our lives, Plays a part in our final resting place.
Cherish the quality of life, And the legacy you leave behind. For our actions today, Will shape the future we’ll find.
So live like the future matters, And be present in every way. For every second we have, Is a chance to make our mark and stay.
Conclusion
End-of-life planning isn’t morbid—it’s liberating. It frees us to live more fully, love more deeply, and leave clearer legacies. By embracing this natural part of existence and making intentional choices, we honor our lives and those we love.
Call to Action
Have you made end-of-life plans? What held you back or inspired you to create them? Share below. Your honesty helps others normalize this crucial life conversation and take their own planning steps.
I invite you to share this post and please comment below, with your thoughts and insights as you are helping others. 💕
A Dose of Positivity
See you this Thursday for another supreme Dose of Positivity with special guest Ruth Boydell sharing about end of life care and death doulas.