General public. This class is of special interest to caregivers, families anticipating a loved one’s passing, hospice staff and volunteers, grief counselors and others involved with end-of-life care.
Cost:
General $148
7 CEUs available for funeral directors, pending approval
Description:
A generation ago, baby boomers brought back home births. Recent decades have seen a resurgence in families providing end-of-life care to loved ones through home hospice. As a natural extension, more families are choosing to care for the body of their beloved in the home after death which is called a home funeral vigil. This seminar will take you on the journey of a home funeral vigil and will include how to:
Prepare, plan and participate in a home funeral vigil
Be present to a loved one’s passing
File a death certificate
Respond with intention at the time of death
Care for the deceased through bathing, dressing and cooling of the body
Create a sacred space and goodbye ritual
Work with caskets and shrouds
Explore green burial as an environmental option
Honor the roles of family and friends
Care for the caregiver
Transport the body of a loved one
Course Notes:Room 284. One hour lunch break. A Sacred Moments Handbook, a 175 page guide through the journey of a home funeral vigil, will be available for sale at the class for $25, payable to the instructor.
Instructor:Char Barrett is a licensed funeral director, home funeral consultant and founder of A Sacred Moment – Home Funeral Vigils, Green Burials and Life Celebrations funeral service. She specializes in assisting families with directing funerals in their own homes. Beyond her degree in mortuary science and formal training as a licensed funeral director, she is an experienced home funeral guide. Barrett has lectured to local, national and international audiences and been featured in the New York Times, WSJ – the Wall Street Journal Magazine, MSNBC.com, NPR-KUOW Radio, King 5 News and the Seattle Post Intelligencer. She is also a steering committee member of the Washington End of Life Consensus Coalition, affiliate organization to the Washington State Medical Association.
