END-OF-LIFE DOULA SERVICES
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I am trained to guide and offer care for you and your family before, during, and after death.
During your initial consultation with Cross with Care, I will help you identify your needs and will custom design a unique and specialized care plan. I provide individualized, original, and creative services for end-of-life education, guidance, and support. 
End of Life Planning
The end of life is more than just what happens to your body. Planning ahead not only gives you more freedom, but also it will save you considerable time, money, headache, and heartache. I can help you with the details so that your energy can be fully devoted to your loved ones. Some of the available offerings include:
Group Workshop for End-of-Life Planning
If dying is something you think about a lot and for which you want to prepare, I offer group workshops geared toward those who “want to get their affairs in order.” While talking about death might not be the easiest subject, being in the company of others helps to reduce the fear around the topic. During this workshop, we normalize the conversation about death and dying and discuss end-of-life planning in a safe, supportive environment. I will guide you as you take practical steps toward completing your End-of-Life Plans. Vigil and End-of-Life-Experience Planning Cross with Care will work with you to create an original vigil plan and will advocate for you should you need. This will ensure that you have exactly what you want in your final days and your family and loved ones are able to support your wishes. I can also help with scheduling vigil visits. I take into consideration appealing to all the senses: What colors and sights do you want to see? What scents do you want to smell? What sounds do you want to hear/not hear? What is the right healing touch for you? Is there anything you want to taste? Who do you want nearby? Where would you like to be? Your clearly defined plan with allow you to have the unique experience you want, and your loved ones will not have to wonder if what they are doing is “right”. Death with Dignity I believe people who are terminally ill and are eligible have the right to access the full range of end-of-life options. I support people choosing to VSED (Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking) and to opt for MAID (Medical Aid in Dying). These options provide comfort and peace of mind to those who are facing difficult times and who would like their values and priorities to be asserted. Legacy Projects We all want to be remembered- to feel that we contributed something to the world, or we left even the tiniest impact on someone’s life. A Legacy Project is a way to capture life stories, lessons, sentiments, memories, and traditions. Some examples of these might be milestone notes, letters to children or loved ones, life interviews, audio or video recordings, photo projects, slide shows, or cookbooks. Legacies convey what we want remaining and future generations to know and understand about our life experiences. It is a deep honor to hear an individual share their life story; a miracle unfolds in the telling. “Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” -- Sharon L. Adler 
Grief Counseling and Support
Processing death and adjusting to your person’s not being in their daily physical life may take a lifetime. Living with loss acknowledges that there is no exact path to this process, nor is there a time frame to follow. We learn how to live with our grief and loss rather than to get over it. As a grief specialist, and as someone who has personally experienced multiple significant losses, I will support you through your bereavement as you integrate this new information into your heart and into your daily life. In lieu of Flowers Gift When you want to do more than send flowers or bring over a casserole, you can provide a friend or family member with professional support during their time of need. I offer a basic package to help a newly bereaved family clarify any immediate or future needs and work through how to address them. The cost of the package can be split with others who want to pitch in and help. Immediate After Death Care Over the past 150 years, we have relegated the process of caring for those who have died to the employees of funeral homes. It is once again becoming more common for families and loved ones to want to be involved in the care of their beloved directly after death. I can offer instruction and guidance on washing and dressing your loved one. I can help you create a sacred ceremony and ritual to honor them, and I am able to provide guidance on home funerals as well as green burials. 
Post Death Practical Support After a death, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with the number of duties that need to be completed to wrap up the end of someone’s life. Cross with Care helps you navigate that process with loving attention. I understand that these tasks are difficult enough on their own, without the added burden of grief, and I am here to support you. These duties may include:
Referrals When needs are beyond the scope of practice of Cross with Care, I provide referrals for legal, medical, or other professional services. At Cross with Care, I recognize that each death is unique and may involve specific requests or needs that are not outlined above. Every plan of care is distinct, individuated, and personalized. Please do not hesitate to ask if you have a request that is not listed. As the each client has personal needs and wishes, the cost for end-of-life doula services varies. Our initial consultation is complimentary and will allow us to discuss your individual needs and timeframe. From there, a package price will be determined and a Service Agreement will be completed before our work together begins. All personal and medical information will be kept strictly confidential. “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life.”
-- Steve Jobs 
Photo by Ericka Kreutz
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