Abstrakt

Changing the Face of Death and Dying in our Community

Christiane Zeithammel

 DIS-ease to death is often shrouded in fear. Fear of death is like a plague that devours the life force and steals living from lives. Death anxiety exists in various degrees and cultivates suffering in our culture. Some people are afraid of all things associated with death. Others may fear their own mortality, and some may be afraid of it all. We have become a death fearing society that spends vital energy seeking out ways to stay young to avoid death. As we know death is a part of life. As a death doula I am part of a death positive movement. A movement that is required to change the culture of fear and silence around death. Death needs to stand amongst us; visible and heard amongst the living. Death is happening in every moment; death is as natural as our next exhale. Open and honest advocacy around death can make a difference. A difference that is essential. It was made aware to me in my young years working as a nurse. People were not dying the way that I knew they should be. They were abandoned, left dying alone, in institutions, lying in cold bathroom, the doors closed on death so no one would bear witness to it. I knew this is NOT the way this should be! I was made so clearly aware that changes were essential.