DIER DRILLS

People keep dying. Everyone knows that every body will inevitably cease to function. Yet a widespread phenomenon of inattention and unpreparedness for this eventuality often causes logistical chaos in the midst of acute grief.

Following a loved one’s death, when in a state of stunned disbelief, disorientation, and disarray, family members are also apt to feel dismayed. Suddenly matters needing to be addressed descend on them like wildfire. Decisions and arrangements must be made. Information is needed. An awareness of what they wish had been communicated to them by the deceased loved one ensues. 

Just as safety upon occurrence of a fire can be secured as a result of previously practiced tactical plans, this aspect of death upheaval can be averted by adopting certain prudent strategies in anticipation of unforeseen death. Everyone at any time can engage in short exercises to amass a collection of operant avenues to be followed by beloved family members who will be grieving. Providing data and details about wishes preemptively is so much easier in contrast to the scavenging that families must undertake when there has been no input and posthumous consultations are impossible.

Of course, any period of time can be chosen for initiation of preparatory measures. But pinpointing a month affords structure for initiation of a timeline to encourage diligence and the likelihood of goal fulfillment.

October has been earmarked as National Fire Prevention Month — a time when countrywide attention is directed toward raising fire safety awareness to ensure families have a plan and are ready for the unexpected. In the same vein, since October 30th has been designated as “Create A Great Funeral Day,” maybe this is also an appropriate month to direct attention to “demise surprise” prevention. Taking proactive end-of-life steps will ensure families have a plan and are ready for the unexpected. 

Within the framework of a calendar, prescribed activities can be broken down into manageable objectives: 

DEMISE SURPRISE PREVENTION MONTH

Choose any day of the month to begin a process of intention leading to realization. Identify measured portions of desired actions for incremental fulfillment of goals. Begin with a loosely designated time frame of four weeks, but be prepared to alter it as circumstances dictate. 

DAY 1 

Inform family that you are participating in a community campaign to prevent demise surprise. That is, you have committed to doing whatever you can to prepare ahead of time for the end of your life so your family won’t need to tear their hair out figuring out what to do when the time comes. Ask for ongoing feedback as you compile material for them, consulting them as needed during the  process. 

DAY 2

Set aside a few minutes to imagine today’s probable scenario if you had died yesterday. What would be going on among your family members and close companions? Presuming they would be engaged in all sorts of tasks and decision-making related to your death, identify actions you could take now to make it easier for them. With this in mind, compose your own customized “to do” list that reflects your circumstances and wishes; if you favor structure, format it as a checklist with lines preceding each entry. 

DAY 3

Decide on a reasonable period of time to set as a goal for completion of the tasks you have identified… if not a month, then within what delineated time frame? Choose one easy mission to complete today. Then place a checkmark next to the entry on your list. 

DAYS 4 through the end of four weeks or pre-determined time span

Continue in the same manner… each day tackling another task and notating when it has been accomplished. 

DAY 30 

Assess your progress. If all of the activities have not yet been completed, calculate a structured extension of time and continue the process while staying moored to a regular schedule. 

Add items to your list if there are more matters you want to tackle. There is no need to feel overwhelmed by the volume. But remember that every action you’ve already taken… every piece of preparation you’ve already provided… will become a welcome asset in the end. Just keep adding value to your contributions.

DAY 31

If all of your objectives have been met, revel in a satisfied feeling of achievement. Decide how you will inform your family members about the gift you have prepared for them. Contact them and ask for feedback about what you have done and the preferences you have determined. Be sure they know where the data you have collected can be accessed.

Once you are satisfied with the outcome of your initiatives, joyfully and thankfully bask in the realization that this exercise was just a drill and you are fully alive. But now you can live your life more at ease, knowing you are prepared for the day when it will end… knowing that you have provided your family with procedural guidelines and informational apparatus. You will have enabled them to douse the embers of potentially flammable end-of-life management, sparing them from a flaming emotional inferno stoked by neglect. 

FOLLOWUP MEASURES

Review each item on the list to determine which ones warrant further exploration and action. This step may entail additional online perusal and on-site visits to providers. Filter the list and extract certain ones to establish a new list for broader investigation. Begin tackling the items in a more detailed manner on a regular basis, but according to your preferred schedule. You are apt to be pleasantly surprised by the expansive options and innovations in the funerary domain.

Once all the entries on your list have been addressed and completed to your satisfaction, contact family members to arrange a means for communication about your additional input.

SAMPLE LIST of Possibilities for Daily (or Periodic) Tasks

___  Notate locations of important documents and personal data,

       including vehicle registrations and insurance documentation.

___ Write biographical summary with details needed for death certificate.

___ Gather and notate all computer passwords. 

       Record answers to common security questions for various accounts.

       Record numeric combinations for properties and belongings.

       Note locations of keys, entry alarm codes, phone lock numbers, etc.

       Determine place for storage of numbers and keys for

       easy accessibility by family. Sign up for a password manager service

       if desired.

___ Make a list of emails and phone numbers of family, friends, and other 

      people from current and previous stages of your life who should be

      notified of your death.

___ Find and print a list of matters generally needed to be addressed after

      someone dies or notate a computer link as part of your

      accessible resources for family members. 

___ Record instructions specific to household tasks that would need to be

      managed immediately after your death.

___ Decide which means you prefer for documentation of your end-of-life

      wishes. Explore digital services for storage of personal data,

      preferences, and arrangements; if one is chosen, sign up to begin 

      using it.

___ Learn about options for bodily disposition (burial, cremation, 

      alkaline hydrolysis, recomposition, donation for medical education,

      scientific research, forensic studies, polymer-modeling education, etc.), 

      note your choice, and contact the relevant organization if 

      arrangements must be made ahead of time. Note how you feel 

      about organ and tissue donations; register as a donor if desired.

___ Identify features important to you in choosing a funeral home.  

      Explore funeral home websites and note preference/s. If arrangements

      or payments have already been made, note location of paperwork and

      receipts.

___ Explore cemetery and memorial park websites. Note preference/s.

___ Choose photos to use for obituary notices and commemorative 

       purposes.

___ Record any main points you would like included in an obituary.

___ Explore possible alternative means for obituary publications. 

___ Fill out a questionnaire about choices for funerary arrangements.

___ Fill out forms for advance directives dictating preferences for 

      end-of-life care. Choose a healthcare agent (and alternate) to act on

      your behalf, in case circumstances pose a need.

___ Use an online resource or contact an attorney to prepare a legal will.

      Prepare a power-of-attorney document, appointing someone 

      to manage your business and legal affairs if you are unable to do so.

___ Write an ethical will to convey your viewpoints and wisdom.

___ Explore creative alternatives to standard recipients of memorial

      contributions, with an eye toward focusing on ones that would reflect

      your personage.

___ Open a POD (Totten Trust) bank account, naming a beneficiary 

      to assure immediate access to funds upon death.

___ Explore possible sites for commemorative affairs.

___ Identify elements you consider important for inclusion in funerary 

      observances (religious, cultural, military, etc.).

___ Review bereavement literature and/or services. Identify certain

      resources for loved ones.

___ Write details pertaining to your life about which you’d like family 

      to know.

___ Write your thoughts and ideas for dissolution of your dwelling,

      including donation suggestions, family dispersal strategies, and

      contact info for downsizing and estate-sale businesses.

___ Meet with a financial planning or estate planning advisor to formulate 

      a wrap-up plan.

___ Explore hospice options in your community in case of need.

___ Compile a “helping hands” list of participatory contributions that 

      would likely be appreciated by family, to be readily accessed following

      your death when caring folks ask what they can do to help.

___ Explore websites of providers in your community who offer

      supplemental services, such as end-of-life doulas and funerary

      celebrants. Become familiar with their roles and notate preliminary 

      impressions.

___ Watch informative videos and read about embalming prior to notating

      whether or not you would want your body embalmed.

      

___ If your choice is for reduction of remains, launch online window

      shopping to discover the vast array of urns and other containment

      options. Alternatively, if burial is planned, peruse traditional as well as

      novel casket/coffin merchandise. Consider what type of outer burial

      receptacle you prefer (basic concrete or more costly vault) if such a

      purchase is likely to be necessary. 

      Notate preferences and include photos of any merchandise you

      especially favor.

___ If you are opting for reduction of remains, scavenge through websites 

      to discover multitudinous ways they can be incorporated into items

      or utilized in novel manners. Note any that might be possibilities for

      you.

___ Read about alternative funerary approaches, such as family

      management at home (home funerals) and natural burials. 

      Note any aspects of them that appeal to you, even if you or your family

      would be opposed to the physical care of your body.

 

___ Play with words to formulate possible epitaphs for a headstone or 

      grave marker.

___ Look online at pictures of memorial stones. Note your preferences and

       include photos if any are especially desirable.

___ Walk through your home, identifying belongings you’d like passed on 

       to loved ones as keepsakes. Make a list of them and take pictures, 

       including names of potential recipients. Note any special significance

       or history of items.

___ Think about objects that relate to your associations with people in your

       life. Peruse online businesses that sell mementos. Note any things

       you might want given to guests at a commemorative event or to 

       certain individuals because of their inherent significance.

___ List valuable items you own and assign monetary values. Gather

      purchase receipts. Take pictures of the items.

___ Check protocols for each of your social media accounts. Identify your 

      wishes for memorial oversight or closure. Make a list of the 

      accounts, with instructions for a family member to manage the

      ones that can be perpetuated after death.

___ Write your thoughts pertaining to how you would like to be 

      remembered. What would you like your legacy to be?

___ Make a list of other matters you would like to address that relate to 

      your own circumstances

“Protective gear” is readily available. 

Abundant online resources can be easily accessed for information. 

FROGS AS ROLE MODELS FOR PREPLANNING

FROGS DO IT BETTER!

Is there anyone among the mortal masses who has never heard the term “croaking” flippantly used instead of “dying” in reference to the cessation of one’s existence? Probably not, at least in Western culture where the word is a common colloquialism that helps avert a full frontal view of life’s inescapable ending.  

It’s a versatile word. As a noun, a “croak” is the low, hoarse sound made by a frog. As a verb, it relates to the utterance made by individuals with a sore throat. Somehow, the word “croak” made its way into an 1873 slang dictionary, in which its definition was: “To die – from the gurgling sound a person makes when the breath of life is departing.” A contemporary online dictionary cheerily clarifies the definition by noting, “When people croak, they need either a glass of water or an undertaker.”

So the death rattle apparently led to adoption of this handy word as a breezily glib term for dying. When this fact of life must be mentioned, yet forthright terminology is too intimidating, the camouflaged representation does the trick and gets the message across.  

This offhanded vernacular definition of “croaking” invites its relevant application as a figurative concept. When frogs emit their distinctive sounds, they are heard far and wide. These creatures of audible distinction can serve as vociferous role models for human beings when it comes to end-of-life planning. “Croaking” can be an expression of foresighted benefaction for family members, rendered by making one’s voice heard through some form of declaration. A proclamation of preferences or intentions for one’s death management can be a resonant form of expression and communication… modeled after the announcements of croaking creatures who are utterly adept at vocalized transmission.      

So maybe the term, “funeral preplanning” should be changed to “frog emulation,” with effective croaking as the goal.  

For our local “Exiter University” programs addressing death education, frogs are on hand as visual reminders of this objective. They represent an opportunity for action and articulation. Upon beginning the process of funerary advance planning, a learner’s outlook might be suggestive of a tadpole – unremarkable and much like others, perhaps assuming that one’s end-of-life affairs will be repeats of standard versions, without acknowledging and celebrating individual features. As a result of coming together and sharing information, maybe one’s mortality mindset morphs into some version of a noisy frog – eventually broadcasting one’s unique defining characteristics and a strong voice projected for beloved familial companions to observe. The primary thrust of this educational venture entreats transformation of personal attitudes toward preparing for death coupled with activation of communication about its management.     

So, to all who are ready to hop into this field of endeavor… hear ye, hear ye!  First, explore the invigorating funerary territory marked by color, novelty, and energizing stimulation… then let your voice be heard so you can:

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Definition:  http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2012/01/croak.html

Quotation:  https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/croak

"EXITER UNIVERSITY" End-of-Life Planning

ANNOUNCING:  "EXITER UNIVERSITY"

Prepare To Learn… Learn To Prepare

Are you one of those?… those people resolutely in denial about the inevitability of eventual death… who harness their energies to avoid perceived threatening thoughts about it… whose timid eyes turn in a different direction when a hearse passes by?  

Well, if this attitude rings a bell, you are not alone!  American society is crippled by a 

death-phobic contagion.  From one generation to the next, infected psyches have been conditioned to ignore and sometimes abhor the reality of physical passage from the earth. 

Even generally open-minded individuals often have closed their minds to the pleasant event planning opportunities the prospect of life’s final milestone presents.   

Long before resting in peace, a wise planner can attain the peace of preparation, contentedly aware that a record of one’s final wishes will likely become a most treasured gift for loved ones. 

Courageous pioneers who have waded tentatively into this domain have been surprised to discover enjoyment of planning processes.  The funeral industry has changed dramatically, nowadays rendering new approaches coupled with innovative products.  Whether browsing or buying, a customer under relaxed circumstances is apt to feel invigorated by the enlivening offerings. 

*****

                                                           

"Exiter University" is dedicated to informing folks about the vast array of possibilities from which they can choose elements for management of their final proceedings.  A broad and colorful spectrum of classes, workshops, discussion groups, and online substance is designed to enlighten and entertain participants.

Experience this educational opportunity to learn about matters rarely discussed in everyday life.  Expect to become intrigued, engaged, and enlightened by awareness of modern-day funerary revitalization.  Materials are designed to be fun and entertaining.

You won’t encounter anything morbid within this context… no bone-chilling skulls and crossbones or Grim Reaper facsimiles.  Instead, you may catch a glimpse of warm and fuzzy associates in the likeness of frogs to remind us that conspicuous croaking… making one’s voice heard (by declaring preferences for death management) is a wise course of action before finally “croaking.”

Whether your goal for gaining insights is based on planning for your own end of life or that of family members, you are apt to be captivated by the innovations and variations that have emerged within recent years.  Merchandise, services, commemorations, and memorialization have been imbued with multi-faceted diversity.  Colorful novelty has awakened a domain that had seemed dismal and deadly.  

Cultural attitudes toward death are changing, prompting a growing willingness to bring this previously unmentionable aspect of life out of the closet.  People are realizing the importance of making arrangements or at least stating preferences ahead of time.  An intent to spare grieving family members from the onerous task of decision making underlies motivation; it is a step toward facilitating their emotional health when confronted by challenges of bereavement.  The mortality rate of one hundred percent renders a mission of advance preparation all the more relevant, regardless of one’s age.  Even young people can enjoy the event planning process, while maintaining receptivity to alterations through the years. 

Community presentations of this nature are supplemented with online materials to encourage absorption of information coupled with personal engagement.  Become acquainted with Signature Sunsets, via Twitter or LinkedIn connections.  Join its “Exiter University” Facebook group where information is shared, participation is welcomed, and learning is paramount (https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1824389547837277.1073741830.1392754611000775&type=1&l=8ce9597e42).

GRIEVING of YOUTH

MENDING BROKEN TIES OF YOUNG LIVES

Childhood and adolescent phases ordinarily present challenges specific to one’s age.  A death in the family can potentially wreck the momentum of maturational growth.  Without intervention, the added stress of coping with the demise of a parent, sibling, or other pivotal figure in a young person’s life can threaten stability and interfere with the progression from one developmental stage to the next.  

A long time ago, when illness, death, and funeral proceedings all took place in home environments, children were on hand and part of what was going on, enabling them to interpret the end of life as a natural passage.  At some point, though, as funeral homes became the central sites for final affairs, young people were shielded from direct contact with the realities of life endings.  The general attitude was that they should be protected from the pain of loss. Their awareness of death was thwarted and their reactions perhaps intentionally minimized.  Circumvention of attention to emotional manifestations was considered justifiable based on assurance that, as resilient children, the kids would be able to bounce back from any trauma they suffered due to it.  

Modern psychology has reversed that stance.  Instead, a focus on childhood and adolescent grieving stems from a belief that they should have direct contact with matters of death and learn effective ways to cope with the loss it incurs.  This contemporary viewpoint has led to a substantial array of resources to guide young people in navigating through the emotions of separation they now can face head-on, under the supervision of trained professionals cognizant of varying needs characteristic of particular age groups.   

The National Alliance for Grieving Children serves as a nationwide resource for providers and anyone seeking awareness of suggested support measures.  Professionals can use it as a forum for sharing ideas and information to effect implementation in their respective communities.  Online education is a core aspect, in addition to the network’s hosting of an annual symposium, maintenance of a national database of children's bereavement support programs, and promotion of endeavors to enhance public sensitivity to the issues impacting grieving children and teens.   

As a sign of the times, often funeral homes cater to the death-related imperatives of children belonging to the families they serve.  Many have playrooms.  

Photo Site:  Anderson-McQueen Funeral Home, St. Petersburg, FL

Designated staff members may be trained to fulfill roles geared toward helping youngsters understand death while enabling them to be active participants during proceedings, in age-appropriate ways.  Sometimes funeral directors offer tours of their facilities for groups of children; the objective is to demystify death through exposure to the setting while enabling absorption of factual information in the absence of emotional entanglement.  

Throughout the nation there are initiatives tailored to meet the needs of bereaved young people and to help keep them on an even keel developmentally.  Effective approaches are promulgated through books, articles, presentations, and other means of communicating insights chronicled by way of empirical data and scientific studies.  Often schools are involved as liaisons, where staff glean competence via presentations and other tools.  A focus on remedial measures to help grief-stricken young people has become a specialty.  Training programs for personnel, participating adult volunteers, and peer support groups provide an educational backbone for these helpers’ engagement.

Children and teens confronted by personal losses come together in a variety of explicit settings where they have the benefit of integrating with others in similar situations.  In contrast to peer interaction within school environments, here in safe havens they are free to talk openly about death without feeling self-conscious or distancing themselves from classmates aversive to the topic.  The potential for a sense of isolation is offset through the camaraderie of social synergy with one another amid interactive activities. 
  

Photo Site:  The Children's Room, Arlington Massachusetts

An impressive array of programs and facilities includes weekend or full-time grief camps in addition to the dedicated physical centers.  Sometimes animal assisted therapy is employed, forging therapeutic partnerships with pets or other animals to enable more spontaneous communication.  As an alternative to traditional counseling sessions, equine therapy affords hands-on contact with horses through various programs around the country.  

Possibly more so than ever, the unique needs of bereaved youth are being recognized and addressed these days.  Under the guidance of compassionate comrades, those who have encountered a life-changing loss are being handled with care.  Through insightful interventions, they journey from the darkness of death toward restitution and fundamental reabsorption in accustomed lifestyles, yet ones that will never be quite the same. 

Photo Site:  The Children's Room, Arlington Massachusetts

Time will tell if such restorative regimens for today’s young folks will impact their attitudes toward death as adults.  Maybe in this “death-phobic” society they will be better equipped to confront matters of mortality more comfortably than the current population of adults – including those who may have experienced deaths of significant others during their childhoods.  If that turns out to be the case, then even in the absence of loss, perhaps death education initiatives for all children and adolescents could help generate attitudes of acceptance.  

National Alliance for Grieving Children

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