What brought me to this work

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Five years ago, a close young friend developed glioblastoma and received hospice care during her end of life.  I lived many states away and was not able to travel to see her as frequently as I wanted.  I was able to maintain close contact via telephone, FaceTime, and read to her over the telephone during her final days. After her death, I became a hospice volunteer.  Two years later, my father developed Covid.  He lived for nearly a month and I was fortunate to spend the last days with him in the ICU.  These two very impactful deaths (and all that they entailed prior to and after the physical deaths) and hospice experience culminated in my commitment to work with individuals facing serious illness and death, and their families.  I have learned so much from my personal experiences, subsequent education and training.  

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A few observations:

• We lack death literacy and this makes the experience of dying more difficult for the person dying and their loved ones.

• Most people fail to prepare for dying, and this makes the process for them and their loved ones, including their grief journeys, all the more difficult.

• Typical advance directives prepared by estate planning attorneys are inadequate to reveal and document the wishes of the individual.

• We don't talk nearly as much as we should about death and what is important to us in the dying process, and only through open communication can we ensure that our loved ones can make good, informed, unconflicted decisions for us if needed.

• Everyone deserves and benefits from an advocate in a hospital/medical setting.

• The shape of the death shapes the grief (for example, a "bad" death- protracted with loss of dignity correlates to complicated grief.) 

• Love and forgiveness, and expressions thereof, are the most important gifts between loved ones at end of life.

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I have completed two end-of-life doula education programs,  the State of Florida Guardian training in 2021 and was certified as a mediator and children's grief facilitator in Maine.  I earned my law degree from the Washington & Lee University School of Law in Lexington, Virginia. 

I warmly welcome the opportunity to serve individuals of all faiths, beliefs and identities.

 

As an End-of-Life planner and advocate,  I strive to improve the end-of-life experience for people through actively listening and collaborating to prepare for a smoother transition, through compassionate preparedness.  I will help you (and your loved ones) in the time leading up to death, the active dying process, and can help your loved ones after your death. Everyone deserves a good death experience- one filled with love, support, and dignity.
 

Warmly, 

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Beth Nightingale

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