The Birth of Dying ― Explore End-of-Life Issues With Your Terminally Ill or Elderly Loved One

Are you looking for a way to communicate with your loved one about end-of-life issues?

Fear of pain, fear of the unknown, fear of being forgotten. Wanting to be remembered, wanting to be heard, wanting to be known and truly understood. Is there an afterlife? Who created us, if anyone, and how do I perceive him or her to be? These are some of the basic human issues that connect us all. They are explored here in detail. There are no answers in this workbook—only questions. The right questions. You provide the answers that are right for you.

This workbook addresses most of the concerns and questions we all have about aging and dying. Death can be a taboo topic in our society but an important one to address. Whether you are young and healthy wanting to be prepared for the future or if you are facing terminal illness or hospice, this workbook is a powerful tool that will assist you in communication about aging and eldercare.

The Birth of Dying is designed to be worked through by two people together: daughter to parent, husband to wife, friend to friend, loved one to loved one. Or it can be completed as a private journey of reflection by one person.

The Birth of Dying will help you:

• Explore your thoughts and feelings about your life and your beliefs about religion, spirituality, death, and the possibility of an afterlife
• Share any fears you may have about terminal illness, hospice, and the end-of-life transition
• Prepare an advance directive
• Plan your funeral and leave exact directions for its execution
• Leave a last will and testament for your family in order to bequeath your possessions and direct who shall care for your loved ones after you die
• Write a memoir for your friends and family to remember you by

The back of the workbook contains a detailed template containing questions to help you write a memoir. Fill it in and leave it for your family to cherish or use it as a launching point for writing your full memoirs.

Whether you or a loved one is facing hospice or a terminal illness, death can be a difficult topic to broach. Communication about aging and eldercare is essential at this stage of life. The Birth of Dying is the tool you need to bridge the communication gap.

A Personal Note from the Authors:

We wrote this workbook for Katie's grandmother and aunt. Her grandmother was living in an assisted living home and her health was declining. Her aunt moved into the assisted living facility to care for her. She wanted a way to communicate with her mother about death as well as a way to help her complete her memoirs. We rushed the book to press one weekend as it looked like her grandmother's end was near. The workbook arrived at her home a half hour after she passed away. While she was alive, we asked her and Katie's aunt a lot of questions about what should or should not go into the workbook. So in the process, she was able to gain benefit from the workbook through communication.