With Open Eyes & Open Hearts: Recognizing and living the journey of dying and death together
Aging brings us all into the reality of our own and others' mortality and the end of our material bodies. Advancements in treatment options for most life-threatening illnesses and diseases have increased our options exponentially, and now the responsibility for our choices lies within us. How we make these decisions for ourselves and respond to the decisions of our loved ones is influenced by many factors, including the generation we are born in (Silent Generation/Baby Boomers/Gen X/Millennials). Dying choices are also deeply affected by the pandemic collective grief fatigue experienced by most Canadians. Taking time to consider the many options in advance and reflect consciously on one's views of dying and death decisions will help lessen the burden of worrying about this in the future. Collectively we have suffered, and collectively we can lean on our spiritual traditions at end of life and support each other to lessen our fears and worries around dying and death. This seminar will be of interest both to those who work with people who are nearing death, and those who will someday die (all of us).
Register here.
$85 in person, $70 virtual
Linda Hochstetler is a Grebel alumnus from the 80s. She is a social worker living in Toronto who specializes in illness, dying, and death. She has accompanied hundreds of dying people and their families in their end-of-life journeys applying hospice palliative care principles in hospitals, residential hospices, and home care. She has just written a book (21 Days to Die: The Canadian Guide to End-of-Life) about recognizing death and making informed decisions at end of life, and focuses on the spiritual dimension of care, as well as all the practical aspects of dying and death.