In this week’s news we learned about the growing trend in the use of death midwives. Top headlines also covered funeral planning and health care issues as well as St. Louis funeral directors speaking out against violence.
In case you missed it:
We think this touching tribute by New Zealand students for a beloved teacher is worth another look.
July 28, 2015–time.com: At the funeral for a New Zealand teacher Dawson Tamatea, who died in his sleep at age 55, students at Palmerston North Boys’ High School in Manawatu performed a haka, a traditional dance and war chant native to New Zealand’s Maori people. (The All Blacks rugby team can usually be seen doing the ancestral tribute before a match.) Go to the story
Weekly News 8/7/2015: Death midwives, funeral planning
What’s a Death Midwife? Inside the Alternative Death Care Movement
Aug 7, 2015–yesmagazine.org: Char Barrett walked into a quaint cafe in Seattle with business in mind. Over the smell of coffee and freshly baked tarts, she was going to advise a client on how best to host a special event at her home, helping coordinate everything from the logistics of the ceremony, to how to dress the guest of honor. People might cry, they might laugh, and all attention would be on the person of the hour—only that person would never see, hear, or enjoy the festivities, because they would be dead… Read the full story
>>Related: Death midwives, home funeral advocates push to take care of loved ones after they die
Dying to Live: Why is Health Care so Valuable in the Face of Death?
Aug 6, 2015–forbes.com: Care near the end of life or for life-threatening illnesses is often highly valued by patients but fares poorly with past and recent valuation frameworks constructed by buyers of such care. This has recently become the source of much debate in cancer care, where treatments for metastatic disease may offer limited survival benefits at high costs. Traditional valuation frameworks, however, fail to account for the unique value dimensions in this type of care. Part of this is of course just buyers wanting lower prices, but there is also a fundamental lack of understanding of the value dimensions in this type of care. As alternative frameworks for evaluating the value of end of life care are developed, they must better incorporate how patients perceive value to avoid centrally mandated rationing of this type of care… Read the full story
People are developing dementia earlier and dying of it more, a study shows
Aug 6, 2015–washingtonpost.com: People are developing dementia a decade before they were 20 years ago, perhaps because of environmental factors such as pollution and the stepped-up use of insecticides, a wide-ranging international study has found.The study, which compared 21 Western countries between the years 1989 and 2010, found that the disease is now being regularly diagnosed in people in their late 40s and that death rates are soaring… Read the full story
Planning ahead for death? Not many do, and they should
Aug 6, 2015–denverpost.com: Few people plan or talk with their families about death arrangements and how they want to be remembered. Dolores Almanza isn’t one of them.The 45-year-old Denver woman has preplanned her funeral and is paying for it with the intention of saving money in the long run and reducing the hassle for her grieving family. “I don’t want my family to have to go through that,” Almanza said… Read the full story
Visit funeralwise.com for more information on planning for your funeral
Trending: More couples saying ‘I do’ at funeral homes
Aug 4, 2015–newsnet5.com: Weddings — one of the most important life events. But, imagine having your ceremony and reception at a funeral home. Yes, a funeral home.It’s a new trend taking place across the country, even here in Northeast Ohio… Read the full story
The History of Cremation’ Exhibit to Open at the National Museum of Funeral History
Aug 4, 2015–katesboylston.com: The Cremation Association of North America and the National Museum of Funeral History are teaming up to create a special exhibit titled “The History of Cremation,” which is set to open in the summer of 2016, according to a news release… Read the full story
Want to scatter a loved one’s ashes abroad? Some travel rules to heed.
Aug 4, 2015–latimes.com: Question: Recently, a longtime travel friend died. She had traveled with us several times on African safaris and was in love with Africa, the animals and the safari experience. One of her wishes was that we take her ashes on our next trip to South Africa and sprinkle them on a game-filled savanna in her memory. Are there any rules that would pertain or restrict taking someone’s ashes in a carry-on or checked luggage? Read the full story
Funeral directors make plea to ‘stop the violence’ in St. Louis
Aug 3, 2015–stltoday.com: The latest plea to stop the violence in St. Louis came from an unusual source on Sunday: funeral directors. On Sunday afternoon, a procession of about 10 hearses and limousines — escorted by about 200 motorcycles — rolled down Washington Avenue, headed north to Page Boulevard and ended back downtown, at America’s Center. Police escorted the participants, and people on the sidewalks stopped to watch… Read the full story
