Best Life Best Death

On this BLBD episode I talk with Penny Hawkins Smith, nationally certified hospice and palliative care nurse and social media rockstar! Penny’s 2025 book,  Influencing Death: Reframing Dying for Better Living, forms the basis of our conversation, but of course we hit on a range of topics, including Penny's path into hospice care, how her TikTok videos on death and dying have alleviated death anxiety for many, and the concept of deathbed visions. We ask: How can humor and education mitigate death anxiety? What are common misconceptions about hospice care? And how can we prepare for and discuss death more openly to ensure a 'good death' experience?https://www.hospicenursepenny.com/https://www.instagram.com/hospicenursepennyhttp://www.tiktok.com/@hospicenursepennyhttps://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090618306403&mibextid=LQQJ4d

A good death should be a right not a privilege — Do you agree? Listen to this week’s podcast to learn about how our incarcerated population dies behind bars. The Humane Prison Hospice Project provides training to incarcerated individuals, empowering them to support their peers by building on the knowledge many already possess and fostering a sense of purpose for both those offering care and those receiving it. I found that learning about this program and the people that it serves opened a whole different door for me on considering death and dying. I think you'll find this to be an episode that stays with you, long after the closing music fades.https://humaneprisonhospiceproject.org/https://www.facebook.com/humaneprisonhospiceprojectcahttps://www.instagram.com/humaneprisonhospiceproject

In this episode, I sit down with two fabulous and funny podcast hosts, Anita Coyle and Mel Shore, founders of the Widow We Do Now? podcast. They share their experiences of widowhood, both the parts that are isolating and pieces that have lifted them up. How might you help a friend who is newly widowed after a long period as a caregiver? Or a coworker who loses a partner suddenly? What about if someone wasn’t legally married, but intended to spend their life with someone, who then dies? What the heck is the word for that? We all need education in this area, to better understand ourselves and to be better prepared to offer support to others. https://widowwedonow.com/https://www.facebook.com/widowwedonow/http://instagram.com/widowwedonow

Kacie Gikonyo is a registered nurse, death doula, and educator with over 12 years of experience in end-of-life care. She is the founder of Death Doula School, offering training for death doulas, and leads The Death Doula Collective, a national network for practitioners in the field. Kacie’s mission is to demystify death and provide compassionate support to individuals and their families. In this episode, Kacie and I discuss how doulas, hospice teams, and the medical system can collaborate effectively, what doulas need to know, and how families can benefit from their expertise. We also delve into the “hot topic” of certification for doulas. What do you envision the future of death care could look like?https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100086696492390https://deathdoulakacie.com

From his humble days as a “lawn guy” at a local funeral home, to his current role as a funeral director and leader on the board of the Green Burial Council, Samuel Perry stands out! I am excited to bring you this conversation about green burial, because it includes not just the facts, but also a thoughtful discussion of what green burial represents and could mean to any one of us. When we say “traditional burial,” maybe green burial is the real deal?@greenburialcouncil

This week I’ll give you an overview of the many ways a body can be laid to rest — from traditional cremation to options like green burial, water cremation, and terramation. We’ll explore what can be done with ashes and how personal values shape these end-of-life decisions. Whether you’re new to these concepts or looking for what’s current, this episode offers a practical guide to body disposition in the U.S. If you’d like more detail on what’s discussed here, there are several BLBD episodes with guests who go into more detail. Check out all my podcasts listed by category at bestlifebestdeath.com.

Jennifer A. O’Brien, MSOD, joins me to discuss a topic that we all need more understanding around: caregiving. In her book Care Boss: Leadership Strategies and Resources for Family Caregivers she draws from over 35 years in healthcare leadership and personal caregiving experiences to share practical tools, organizational strategies, and compassionate insights for supporting loved ones through serious illness. How can we take stock of what is needed? Where do we turn for help? How can we step into the role of a Care Boss with confidence and clarity? Grounded in her time as an interim CEO of clinical practices and her own deep caregiving journey, this conversation and this book are filled with pragmatic guidance. Yet, she also touches on the immeasurable aspects of caregiving. Is there any way to measure what we give and what we get as a caregiver?

Whether large or small, urban or suburban, many of us have a favorite cemetery. Perhaps the crown jewel of cemeteries in the US is the National Historical Landmark of Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn, New York. Founded in 1838, by the 1860s it had earned an international reputation for its magnificent beauty. This week I talk with Gabrielle Gatto, Manager of Public Programs at Green-Wood Cemetery, who shares the history and current educational programs happening at this gorgeous “necropolis within a metropolis.”https://www.green-wood.com/https://instagram.com/historicgreenwoodhttps://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Green-Wood-Cemetery/168452476528119

Former hospice and oncology nurse turned Doulagiver Trainer, Suzanne B. O’Brien has dedicated her life to teaching people how to care for those at the end of it. In our first podcast conversation (BLBD #105), we explored the reality that most of us will, at some point, be called to support a loved one at the end of life. And guess what – that is still true. But couldn’t we be more prepared? In this episode, Suzanne shares insights from her new book, offering practical guidance on what contributes to a “good death,” including becoming less fearful of the unknown, how emotional considerations come into play, and preparation that goes beyond paperwork. What do caregivers need to know? How can they be supported in this truly life-changing role? This conversation and this book are a guide to help you become more ready.www.facebook.com/Doulagiverswww.instagram.com/suzannebobrienrnhttps://www.tiktok.com/@hospicenursesuzannehttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDCESlQBurhI9FPiPqsb-Lw

This week, doula, educator and book-lover Jade Adgate joins me to explore children’s books that delve into the tender topics of death, grief and loss. Why is it important to read about these subjects? How early can you start? And how can books guide us inward to our emotions and help us make sense of the world? Jade beautifully articulates the possibilities and meaning within life’s challenges. Whether or not you have children in your life, this episode might inspire you to seek out the seven sweet and moving titles we discuss!The Dead Bird - Margaret Wise Brown (Author) andChristian Robinson (Illustrator) The End of Something Wonderful: A Practical Guide to a Backyard Funeral - Stephanie Lucianovic (Author) andGeorge Ermos (Illustrator) Cry Heart But Never Break - Glenn Ringtved (Author) and Charlotte Pardi (Illustrator) A Last Goodbye -Elin Kelsey (Author) andSoyeon Kim (Illustrator) The Rabbit Listened - byCori DoerrfeldThe Heart and the Bottle - byOliver JeffersThe Truth Pixie - by Matt Haighttps://www.farewellfellowship.com/https://www.instagram.com/the.farewell.library/