Everyone dies. Despite this obvious truth, the generally accepted norm is to remain silent about death and dying. To cast death as the opposite of life, which it is not. Death is the opposite of birth; life is what we do in between these two events up to and including our final transition.
The Positive Death Movement is one example of voices being raised against the taboo of speaking about death and dying. Its core mission is to help individuals find a “good death”: one free from avoidable suffering; that is in accord with the individual’s wishes; and reasonably consistent with clinical, cultural, and ethical standards. At the forefront are influencers such as Caitlin Doughty (From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find the Good Death), Anita Hannig (The Day I Die: The Untold Story of Assisted Dying in America), and Atul Gawande (Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End).
Community-based and faith-based organizations established to start the conversation about death and dying are slowly becoming more visible. They accompany individuals and their loved ones to create a plan to ensure their final wishes are honored. They are sometimes local chapters of national organizations such as Compassion and Choices and End of Life Choices. Local organizations such as Honoring Choices in Indiana have also begun to appear. Ask the search engine of your choice to find the closest available in your area.
The prevalence of Death Midwives -- sometimes referred to as Death Doulas – has risen since the COVID pandemic. The number of dying overwhelmed the existing funerary system and alternatives had to be sought. Death midwives are invited in to help ease the passage of individuals at the end of life, working with loved ones and the existing medical team. They provide support that is emotional, spiritual, and practical. They stand in the gap between the funeral industry and the medical profession.
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