An End of Life Lenten Series
3:00-4:30 pm on the Sundays of Lent, Room 200On Ash Wednesday, we are reminded that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Our life is a fleeting gift, and yet because of God’s love, we are assured that even death cannot separate us from God’s care. This assurance gives us the confidence to face the reality of death and to plan in ways that will offer peace and clarity to our family members.
In this Lenten season, we will gather each week to discuss topics related to end-of-life care and preparing well.
You are welcome to attend any or all of the sessions. Please register for the sessions you plan to attend, so that we can provide adequate materials.
February 22, Session 1: Preparing Spiritually for Death
Though none of us know when our lives might come to an end, engaging in conversations about death can help us to mitigate our fear, and can help us to imagine what an “abundant death” might entail for us.
March 1, Session 2: Planning for our End of Life
One of the greatest gifts we can give to our families is to prepare our own memorial service/funeral so the service reflects what is important to us. Together we will explore the various options for designing these services, as well as options for the care of our bodies after death.
March 8, Session 3: Advance Planning Directives
The goal of Advance Care Planning is to decide the kind of health care you want at the end of your life. It includes knowing your values and your treatment options, recording those wishes, and sharing them with your loved ones (Healthcare Power of Attorney and Living Will).
March 15, Session 4: Hospice & Palliative Care
In this session, we will explore the unique differences between Hospice Care and Palliative Care, and how they individually and collectively enhance the quality of life for you or your loved one as we navigate the end of life.
March 22, Session 5: What to Do When Someone Dies: A Step-by-Step Guide
The loss of a loved one is overwhelming enough, and yet there are so many logistical steps to address afterward that add to the weight of our experience. Knowing what the next steps are can help to alleviate some of that stress in the midst of our grief. In this session we will discuss the logistical and administrative steps following a death, as well as documents that will need to be gathered (or can be gathered ahead of time), including bank information, testamentary documents, tax returns, title documents, retirement benefits, Social Security, bills to be addressed, DMV, social media accounts, etc
As a part of our End-of-Life Lenten series, we will take a field trip to Endswell, an eco-friendly funeral home in Hillsborough. We will visit Endswell on Monday, March 16, at 1 pm. If you plan to attend, please register here.