Guidance Blog Posts

This article guidance section or blog was created to open up honest, thoughtful conversations about something most people avoid until it’s too late, our end-of-life choices. Instead of a static website, this is a living blog where each post invites discussion, questions, and shared perspectives. The focus here isn’t on caregiving or specific diseases like Alzheimer’s or Dementia, but on understanding the full range of death options available, ethically, legally, and personally. 

Whether you’re planning ahead or simply curious, this space is designed to inform, challenge assumptions, and give you a voice in a conversation that affects us all.
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Family discussing End-of-Life options
How Preplanning Can Reduce Family Conflict and Uncertainty in Death Decisions
Few family conversations feel harder than end of life discussions. When people search for assisted suicide, they are often looking for more than legal facts. Many want guidance about difficult... Read more...
Cremation Ash Scattering
Ash Scattering: A Guide to Meaningful Farewells and Memorial Traditions
For many families, ash scattering is more than a final step after cremation. It is a personal ceremony, a celebration of life, and a chance to say goodbye in a... Read more...
Cremation Ash Storage
Cremation Ash Storage: Keeping Cremated Ashes Safely, Respectfully, and On Your Timeline
After cremation, many families are surprised by what comes next. The funeral service may be over, but one of the most personal decisions remains: What should we do with the ashes?... Read more...
Suicide, Dementia, and the Timing of Choice
When the Numbers Don’t Tell the Whole Story: Suicide, Dementia, and the Timing of Choice
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide remains one of the leading causes of death in the United States. In 2023, adults age 85 and older had... Read more...
Dementia Family Conversation
The Alzheimer’s and Dementia Journey: The Conversations We Avoid
When most people think about Alzheimer's disease or Dementia, they think about memory loss, confusion, and the slow progression of the disease. That’s not what this blog is about. There are already countless... Read more...
Cremation Urn Sizes
How do I choose the right size urn?
A simple guideline is 1 cubic inch of urn space per pound of body weight before cremation. For example, a 200 lb individual would typically require a 200 cubic inch... Read more...
Summary of Exit International
Summary of Exit International
A Movement Built on Personal Autonomy. Exit International was founded in 1997 by physician Philip Nitschke, and from the beginning, its purpose has been clear: advocate for the right of... Read more...
Final Exit Network
Summary of the Final Exit Network
If you’ve spent any time researching end-of-life choices, you’ve probably noticed how easy it is to fall into a loop of statistics, clinical language, and worst-case scenarios. Numbers can inform,... Read more...
Helium Suicide
Helium Suicide: When “Painless” Becomes the Selling Point: What This Study Really Shows
A 2022 forensic study examined deaths caused by helium inhalation, a method increasingly reported in the U.S. and Europe. At first glance, the clinical description sounds almost deceptively simple. But... Read more...
Swiss Alps
Choosing the End: How Dignitas Supports a Death with Dignity
When you start thinking seriously about end-of-life decisions, especially after seeing Alzheimer’s or Dementia up close, the conversation changes. It's no longer abstract. It becomes personal, practical, and sometimes uncomfortable. Read more...
Body Donation
Donating Your Body to Science: Simple Idea, Complicated Reality
My mother and I have a standing agreement that sounds wonderfully straightforward: when we die, donate any usable organs, give our bodies to science, and cremate whatever remains. Clean, efficient,... Read more...
Organ Donation
Organ Donation and Body Donation - A Summary
When planning ahead, most people think about wills, trusts, and medical decisions. But another important, and often overlooked, choice is what happens after death, specifically when it comes to donation.... Read more...
Hospice vs. Palliative Care
Hospice vs. Palliative Care
When a loved one is facing Alzheimer's disease or Dementia, families often hear two terms that sound similar but mean very different things: palliative care and hospice care. Understanding the difference can help you make better... Read more...
Giving my kids everything
If I have a Revocable Trust set up, giving my kids everything, do I still need a Financial Power of Attorney?
It’s a common assumption: “If I have a trust, I’m covered.” But when it comes to incapacity and day-to-day financial decisions, that assumption can create gaps you didn’t expect. Let’s clear... Read more...
Power of Attorney Discussion
Power of Attorney
When people hear the term “Power of Attorney,” it often brings up one big question: “Is this the document where I decide who pulls the plug?” Short answer: not exactly.Let’s break... Read more...
will vs trust meeting
Will vs. Trust
When people start thinking about estate planning, the first question usually isn’t if they need a plan, it’s what kind. Two of the most common tools are a will and a trust. They sound similar, but... Read more...
Additional Resources Links
Resource Links
This Resource List of Links is designed to be a living, growing collection of helpful information related to planning, decision-making, and end-of-life considerations. Read more...