Dying Well

The landscape of illness and dying in the United States has shifted, and we need to have the awareness and capacity to shift with it. Many people who are on the giving or receiving end of care are witnessing a broken system.

In our culture, death is often avoided... Spoken of quietly or not at all. Too often the focus of our attention tends leaves little space for the emotional, spiritual, and communal dimensions of this profound passage.  Because of this, many miss the chance to engage meaningfully with what is, for each of us, a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The growing popularity of deathcare is being driven by several intersecting forces. The pandemic compelled many to confront mortality directly, revealing unmet emotional, spiritual, and logistical needs at the end of life. At the same time, a cultural shift is underway, reframing death not as something to be avoided but as an opportunity for meaning, connection, and legacy. 

Traditional care systems often fall short in offering holistic or ritual support, leaving space for death doulas and community-based practitioners to step in and fill these gaps. Innovation and sustainability are also shaping the field, with increasing interest in virtual memorials, green burials, and other practices that reflect evolving values around personalization, ecology, and conscious living.