Support for Planning End-of-Life Care & Home Funerals

One of the greatest gifts you can give those you serve: support. As a Death Doula, you may decide to serve in one or more of these end-of-life planning capacities:

Support clients and their families in obtaining and filling out legal paperwork including death certificate, permit for disposition, cremation authorization and advanced directives
Education on how you may legally care for your loved one for in-home vigil
Guidance in dying rituals, memorials, creating sacred space and ceremony
Sharing information on eco-friendly low-cost casket options and green burial options

Here is a list of resources to help guide your journey. Please note that every state is different, so depending on your location of residence, you will have to do your own research on the laws of that state.

NC Laws on Home Funerals, Cremation and Burials at Home:

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/north-carolina-home-funeral-laws.html

https://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/burial-cremation-laws-north-carolina.html

Aquamation: Water Cremation (Legal in NC):

https://aquamationinfo.com

Human Composting (Legal in 4 states):

https://recompose.life

Natural Burial in NC:

https://carolinamemorialsanctuary.org/

https://www.allsoulsnaturalburial.org

The Five Wishes

"There are many things in life that are out of our hands. This Five Wishes document gives you a way to control something very important-how you are treated if you get seriously ill. It is an easy-to-complete form that lets you say exactly what you want. Once it is filled out and properly signed, it is valid under the laws of most states."-Aging With Dignity www.FiveWishes.org

It is of the upmost importance for this document to be filled out by you and notarized, for your own end-of-life plan. Once you fill your own Five Wishes document out and have the document legally notarized, you can give this document to those you serve. There is a small donation fee to order these documents and have them on hand to distribute to any clients you work with and to your own friends and family. Order at the website or call:

1-888-594-7437 https://www.fivewishes.org

The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. You do not have to be nearing completion of this incarnation and preparing for transition to benefit from this book. I highly recommend this book as a preparation for your own end-of-life awareness work.

https://www.amazon.com/Gentle-Art-Swedish-Death-Cleaning/dp/1501173243

Checklist for End-of-Life Planning

https://deathwithdignity.org/resources/life-file/

https://www.npr.org/2020/06/26/884051182/end-of-life-planning-is-a-lifetime-gift-to-your-loved-ones

A Beginner's Guide to the End

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1501157167?ie=UTF8&tag=gregooscicen-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1501157167

What About The Non-tangibles /Emotional Legacy You Want To Leave?

Download

Checklist for End-of-Life Care Folder.pdf

Download

Checklist for End-of-Life Care Folder.pdf

Know the Laws of Your State, Be Empowered and Educated

I have only included a small list of resources in the state where I did this first initial live training. It is the responsibility of every individual Death Doula to know the legal requirements about death certificates, body preparations, internment and burial procedures for each state. In Module 5, I have some really helpful interviews for you with legal perspectives on what's required when it comes death in NC.

Laws change drastically from state to state so I cannot list all of that here. Your job is to do your due diligence when making an end-of-life plan.

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