In this National Hospice Month episode, the Second Season's first episode, host Patricia M Sears of Graceful Transitions speaks with Lori Rizzo, a certified end-of-life doula and dementia practitioner from Compassionate Crossings, about the urgent need to reduce stigma around dementia and transform how we support families navigating this journey. With nearly 7 million Americans living with dementia and 12 million providing unpaid care—often quietly and exhausted—Lori shares practical gu...
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In this National Hospice Month episode, the Second Season's first episode, host Patricia M Sears of Graceful Transitions speaks with Lori Rizzo, a certified end-of-life doula and dementia practitioner from Compassionate Crossings, about the urgent need to reduce stigma around dementia and transform how we support families navigating this journey. With nearly 7 million Americans living with dementia and 12 million providing unpaid care—often quietly and exhausted—Lori shares practical gu...
In this National Hospice Month episode, the Second Season's first episode, host Patricia M Sears of Graceful Transitions speaks with Lori Rizzo, a certified end-of-life doula and dementia practitioner from Compassionate Crossings, about the urgent need to reduce stigma around dementia and transform how we support families navigating this journey. With nearly 7 million Americans living with dementia and 12 million providing unpaid care—often quietly and exhausted—Lori shares practical gu...
In June 2025, we were fortunate to talk with Angela Shook an End-of-Life and Companion Animal Doula. Angela Shook is an end-of-life doula, Hospice volunteer, and instructor for the Doula Programs at the University of Vermont, and offers multiple end-of-life educational workshops and grief support groups. She is a veterinary doula with Pet Well Mobile Vet, where she assists with euthanasia and the end-of-life care and support of companion animals. Angela has received the Animal Hospice Advocat...
Medical aid in dying (MAID) is legal in Vermont—but what does it actually look like? And where do you go if you don't want to die at home? Kasey March, a certified MAID Wayfinder and end-of-life doula with Doula Care for Dying, guides us through the realities of medical aid in dying in Vermont—from the process itself to finding a safe, appropriate location to take the prescribed medicine. This conversation addresses: What MAID actually is (and what it isn't)The role of a MAID doula or Wayfind...
What if just starting the conversation—the one you've been avoiding—brought you relief instead of dread? Francesca Lynn Arnoldy, death literacy advocate and author of 'The Death Doula's Guide to Living Fully and Dying Prepared,' believes that transforming our relationship with death begins with a single step. In this conversation, we explore: What 'death literacy' actually means and why it mattersThe surprising pleasure of starting difficult conversationsWhat makes a 'good death' (hint: prese...
If you die without a will, your estate will go through probate—and your will will become public information. But that's not the scariest part. Without an advance directive, the court can keep you alive and 'comfortable' even if you don't want to be intubated or have limbs removed. Your family can override your unspoken wishes. Angela Ross, an attorney with 31 years of experience and current probate judge in Orleans County, Vermont, shares what most people don't know about estate planning—and...
What if you could turn your body into a tree after you die? What if you couldn't afford a traditional funeral—what are your options? Lindsey Warren, green burial specialist, opens our eyes to end-of-life choices most of us don't know exist. Motivated by watching 'funeral poverty' devastate families after sudden deaths, Lindsey is passionate about helping people understand all their options for disposition planning. In this touching conversation with 'aha moments' throughout: What green buria...
In this National Hospice Month episode, the Second Season's first episode, host Patricia M Sears of Graceful Transitions speaks with Lori Rizzo, a certified end-of-life doula and dementia practitioner from Compassionate Crossings, about the urgent need to reduce stigma around dementia and transform how we support families navigating this journey. With nearly 7 million Americans living with dementia and 12 million providing unpaid care—often quietly and exhausted—Lori shares practical gu...
