End of Life and Funeral Planning

Articles of interest - grief and loss

Links for this week:

Grandparents' Grief: Who Is Listening?
By Mary Lou Reed
From the Association for Death Education and Counseling

"If a grandparent/grandchild relationship is shattered by death, grandparents lose more than a cherished grandchild—they suffer a dual loss—simultaneously needing to mourn the death of their grandchild, while also grieving for their adult child’s suffering. A grandchild’s death seems perverse, absurd and totally unnatural; it defies the natural order. Grandparents expect to predecease their children, and certainly, their grandchildren. But, who is listening?"

Download the article as PDF

Last Acts
A project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
Companion site to the media project. Includes the report "Means to a Better End."

NY Daily News on eco-friendly funerals

Eco-friendly funerals, biodegradable caskets all the rage

A brief overview of green funeral and cremation practices.

Pet loss counseling

According to Beth Cook, a licensed social worker, "whether your pet has four legs or two wings, meows or whinnies, you  know that your companion has been steadfast and loyal to you. If you are contemplating the decision of having to end his suffering or have  lost her to a sudden or slow death, you know the world may not be very patient with or understanding of your grief."

Beth Cook offers pet loss counseling in the Chicago area to families who have lost pets. Her site includes a pet loss bibliography.

Free book on explaining pet loss to children: We have a few complimentary copies of A Special Place for Charlee left.  After those are gone, you may order one for a nominal shipping fee.

Saving memories of your favorite feline

We aren't leaving cat owners out when it comes to memorials that match a pet's personality. We have just begun to offer cat memory boxes inspired by the masterworks of the 20th Century. These wood boxes, which work equally well as memory boxes or urns, feature art tiles based on the works on Chagall, Rousseau, and Van Gogh.

View the full collection of cat memory boxes