PATTIE CINELLI

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grandfather was in hospice and I admired what they did. I would like to do something similar without the medical training and knowledge.” When I asked another participant, Diane De Bernardo, what death positivity means to her, she said, “It means not being afraid of dying. It’s a part of life, the circle of life. Our society is doing everything to prolong life even at the loss of the quality of life.”

An HCC board member attended a Saturday session. She told Spainhour that it changed her outlook on death. She thought the session would be morbid and was surprised to discover it was nothing like she imagined.

Death Doula Sessions

Lyster-Mensh has topics planned for her weekly sessions on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. They are posted a month in advance on the HCC website. She plans to show participants how to do practical things such as preserving their digital world, or how to write their own obituary. She also plans on bringing in guest speakers and asking participants to share their experiences. “I think a lot of people think that they won’t die if they don’t do anything,” she said. “I nd that fear surrounding death can be lessened if a dialogue and some planning is started.”

Another trained death doula on Capitol Hill, Liz Gregg, who is director of care services at Capitol Hill Village (CHV) loves having a death doula in residence at HCC. “The rst session was great,” she said. “At CHV I want to create opportunities to build and plan how members want to live and how they want to die. I also want to enrich our partnership between CHV and HCC.” Gregg, who is an end-of-life social worker, will be o ering Death Cafes at HCC.

Death doula days are less formal than Death Cafes, according to Lyster-Mensh. Death Cafes, which have been held in 83 countries since 2011, have a format. Death doula days are more exible. They have to do more with having conversations about mortality and practical things surrounding that, she said. “I encourage people to arrange a airs, write down wishes for the end of life. It’s more doing and not just talking. It’s also light-hearted.”

Death Doula Days are just one of the ways that Historic Congressional Cemetery promotes death positivity. The events are free, but you need to register on the HCC website at www. historicalcongressionalcemetery.org.

For information about doulas: www.inelda.org. To contact Laura Lyster-Mensh: hccdeathdoula@ gmail.com.

Pattie Cinelli is a health and tness professional and journalist who has been writing her column for more than 25 years. She focuses on non-traditional ways to stay healthy, get t and get well. Please email her with questions or column suggestions at: tmiss44@aol.com. ◆