Everyone Dies

Linda Barnard talks with us about her journey to becoming an End-of-Life doula. She started her business Heading Home OC after noticing a need for helpers that specialized in death preparation. Not all the people that death doulas help are terminally ill; some want help to prepare for their death to relieve stress for their survivors. Join us for our talk with this truly inspirational person. For further information on this interview: https://bit.ly/2SvPfekBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

This week Everyone Dies team member, Victoria Lynn Bentley talks with us about emerging from COVID quarantine and reclaiming our lives.  Victoria is a licensed professional counselor and discusses reopening ourselves to vulnerability, the value of mindfulness and the use of Telehealth to have someone to talk to about our fears and anxiety.For more information on this interview and contact: https://bit.ly/3zbAEVNBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Everyone Dies had the pleasure of talking with Bill Guggenheim about after-death communications (ADC) which are contacts from someone who has died directly to us by the dead without a medium. We can’t make it happen, we do not control it…it either occurs or it doesn’t. One of the first books that took a data gathering approach to these communications was published in 1995 by Bill and Judy Guggenheim in their book, Hello From Heaven!. In it, they share 353 stories from people about ADC, stories from people in all walks of life. Have you ever had a visit from a loved one who was dead?For futher information on this interview: https://bit.ly/3uPSUR2Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Children have questions about everything. This week Dr. Marianne Matzo is talking with William the Fifth and his mother Lorilei about why people die, how people die (William talks a bit about bayonets and the American Revolution), and what happens after death. William is fascinated with zombies and Michael Jacksons’ “Thriller” video, so, our interview includes the evolution of zombies.A resource to help you talk to children about death is Everyone Dies and yes, it is normal (Vanitas Press, 2020). This book offers a clear, communicable paradigm regarding why death happens and does not shy away from the fact that death is a natural part of life. It offers children and adults in their lives a simple way to talk about death.We are working to normalize death starting with very young children so that we can prevent/reduce fear of mortality. This book can help inform this agenda, but more importantly, helps families with children who are grieving and lack the tools to help their children understand what is happening. For more information and contact: https://bit.ly/2Sv1tn3Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Caring for a loved one with dementia is extremely hard work.  We were pleased to talk with Ellie about alternatives to medications in the management of dementia symptoms. Ellie is a registered nurse and herbalist who worked for 20 years as a hospice nurse.  In the 1990s, she worked with many patients as an herbalist, helping them to discover ways to find comfort. Though she could not offer cures for their life-threatening diseases, she was able to help them extend their lives with a focus on enjoying their time at the end of lifeFor more information and contact: https://bit.ly/3whF4bfBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Ken Doka to our show this week. Join us as we talk about what it takes to heal and go on after a loss. Dr. Doka is an expert on grief work, and we are so pleased to offer his wisdom to you on our show. Dr. Doka has keynoted conferences throughout North America as well as Europe, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand. He participates in the annual Hospice Foundation of America Teleconference and has appeared on CNN and Nightline. In addition, he has served as a consultant to medical, nursing, funeral service, and hospice organizations as well as businesses and educational and social service agencies.For more information and contact: https://bit.ly/2RR2DcgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

We have met Michael in previous interviews when he talked about caring for his wife with Huntington’s. Janet, his wife, died 1/10/21 and on Easter Sunday Michael became engaged. In this podcast, we talk about dating after Janet’s death and how Michael sees love and life for his future.For information and contact: https://bit.ly/3umVQFhBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Our show this week is pleased to share with you an interview with Jane Nelson, CEO of the Oklahoma Nurses Association since 2002. We talk about the challenges of providing support and work/life balance in nursing. 91% of nurses are women; in other professions, large numbers of women left their jobs during the pandemic to care for and home-school their children. Nurses, because of their essential role in health care were unable to do this which added additional stress to their lives.For more information and contact: https://bit.ly/3u18FVQBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Mike Ward is a Detroit-based singer and songwriter who writes about coming to terms with aging, loss, and death. His most recent album, The Darkness, and the Light was released on 1/26/21. This week Mike and I talked about a song he wrote for his father called Wrestling with Ghosts. His father was relatively healthy until his death at age 95, but not without much loss and grief.For additional information and contact :https://bit.ly/32FCj6JBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

This week we had the pleasure of interviewing Eli Pollard, the Executive Director at the World Parkinson Coalition. The Coalition convenes a World Parkinson’s Congress every three years to bring together patients, care partners, researchers, and health care practitioners to further the conversation regarding solving the puzzle of this disease. Eli brings her passion for her work and a great deal of information about Parkinson’s Disease to this interview.For more information on Parkinson Disease and Contact Information: https://bit.ly/3eh9UJZBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

We have met Michael in previous interviews when he talked about caring for his wife with Huntington’s. Janet, his wife, died 1/10/21 and since then Michael has moved and started a new job. Join us for a discussion about this post-caretaker stage of Michael’s life.  We hope you benefit and learn something new from this interview. For contact information on this interview: https://bit.ly/31U8nUgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Calgary musician Allan Roy Wilson is our guest this week and talks about his new album. This work is the result of that two-year writing session that began in August 2018 is “I Just Want You to Come Home,” a 10-song CD Wilson penned in honor of his son, Josh, who died of cancer in 2000. You don’t want to miss this incredible discussion about loss and grief.For more information and Contact: https://bit.ly/39xywfUBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

We are thrilled to have talked to Connie M. Baker this week. Connie lives in Oklahoma City, surrounded by family and friends. She has degrees in Family Relations and Child Development. Through the years she has studied different healing modalities and exploring how people heal. She is a HeartMath Mentor and Certified Healing Touch Practitioner. After being diagnosed with cancer she wrote a book about building resilience and thriving while facing cancer.For more information on this interview and contact: https://bit.ly/3cZEl6JBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Our guest this week is Shawn Kennedy who is the Editor in Chief of the American Journal of Nursing. Shawn, along with her colleagues Diana Mason and Kristi Westphaln published an Opinion article in Newsweek about the effect of visiting policies in hospitals and nursing homes during the Covid pandemic. The restrictive visiting policies have sacrificed family-centered care and human connection to maintain safety, but these authors suggest that it is time to make some adjustments to support family visits.For more information on this subject and contact information: http://bit.ly/3l0RbVGBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Our guest this week is Darlene Domanik, co-author of the recently released children’s book “Everyone Dies and yes, it is normal” published by Vanitas Press, LLC. Given the unprecedented number of deaths related to Covid-19, children need a clear paradigmregarding why death happens.A review of other books for children that attempt to address this question often leaves the reader still wondering why death occurs. Everyone Dies does not shy away from the fact that death is a natural part of life and offers children and the adults in their lives a way to talk about it. Darlene lives in Brighton, Michigan, with her husband.For further contact information: http://bit.ly/3bcS1vkBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Our guest this week is Lori Jackson, a well-known travel writer who after the death of her brother goes in search of information about the Grim Reaper.Lori Erickson is one of America’s top travel writers specializing in spiritual journeys and is an Episcopal deacon. She’s the author of the memoir Holy Rover: Journeys in Search of Mystery, Miracles, and God, which was a finalist for the 2017 Travel Book of the YearINDIES Award from Foreword Reviews. She lives in Iowa City, Iowa, with her husband.For more information on the interview and book: http://bit.ly/380c91ZBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Dr. Marianne Matzo’s guest this week is James Kawainui, a Native Hawaiian Healer, who comes from many generations of Kahuna (mystics and healers). He talks about the presence in our everyday lives and how being present helps us decided what to do next.For more information on this interview: http://bit.ly/2ZrcTZgBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Our guest this week is Janet Douglas who, while attending a wedding in England, had a major stroke. She spends a great deal of time working on her rehabilitation program and then wrote a book about her experiences. Her story gives a rare glimpse into what it is to have a stroke and the challenges of rehabilitation.For more information on this interview and contact information: https://bit.ly/3cZDTXFBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Mike Ward is a Detroit based singer and songwriter who writes about coming to terms with aging, loss, and death.  His most recent album, The Darkness, and the Light was released on 1/26/21. Mike and I talked about this new album and his perspectives on aging and loss and how this is expressed in his music.For more information and contact: http://bit.ly/2KRFweiBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.

Luke’s mother was 75 when he started to notice that she was diagnosed with brain cancer and metastasis to her lungs. She rapidly declined to the point where she could no longer speak, was bedridden, and unable to swallow. The decision was made to place her in a care home for end-of-life care. Every day Luke and his father visit her, and Luke feels strongly that she would not want to live this way. In this interview, Luke talks about how angry he feels that England has laws against assisted death. We talk about his mother’s condition and what options are available not to postpone death. Luke’s mother died two days after this interview.For contact information: http://bit.ly/3ixp7rLBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/everyone-dies--4495229/support.