In this trilogy, Brian focuses on new innovations and trends in the funeral industry. Brian explains what the process of aquamation is and how it is different than standard cremation. He talks about how it impacts the environment and the benefits of choosing aquamation. Brian also addresses some of the reasons that it may not be the right choice for you ..read more

In this trilogy, Brian focuses on new innovations and trends in the funeral industry. With the rise in popularity of celebrations of life, there are now more ways than ever to memorialize a loved one. To highlight that, Brian talks about different types of keepsakes available to help you honor the life of a loved one. In this episode, he talks about keepsake urns, The Edge Art Gallery and Glass Blowing Studio, and Thumbies and Buddies Keepsakes. For those who want to honor their loved one with a living memorial, he talks about the Tree of Life program, blooming urns, memorial gardens and memor ..read more

NFDA reports that 14 percent of Americans over age 40 say they would choose green burial and around 62 percent would like to learn more about it. In this episode, Brian talks about ideas for holding a service involving green burial. He explains what is involved in a green burial, casket options and types of cemeteries that allow green burial ..read more

In this podcast, Brian interviews Theresa from Samaritan Evergreen Hospice. Theresa Karlik is an RN and the manager of Samaritan’s coastal hospice team for Samaritan Evergreen Hospice. The coastal hospice team, based in Newport, provides hospice care to patients throughout Lincoln County and into Tillamook County.  This interview focused on the mission of hospice and end of life care. Brian asks her about what is needed to go onto hospice, how hospice is different than palliative care and much more. You can find out more about Samaritan Evergreen Hospice by visiting their website https ..read more

In this podcast, Brian explains what embalming is and why a person may choose to be embalmed or not. He talks about circumstances when embalming is required and some of the benefits of choosing embalming.  Brian explains the laws surrounding embalming in Oregon and how they are similar to most other states in America. In addition to laws, sometimes embalming is required by cemeteries or mausoleums in order to be placed there. The episode also covers how funeral homes are regulated in regards to embalming.  ..read more

Many individuals ask whether or not an autopsy would be performed in order to determine cause of death. In this episode, Brian talks about why an autopsy could be required by the state. If an autopsy is not required by the medical examiner, a family may still request one to be done privately.  This episode also answers common autopsy related questions such as what is the medical examiner's job, what does cause and manner of death mean and many other common questions.  ..read more

Planning a funeral can be very difficult and full of questions. This is especially true when the death was sudden or unexpected. In this episode, Brian talks about the process of laying to rest a person who passes unexpectedly. Brian explains how the authorities must be notified, the funeral home gets called, and how to make arrangements with the funeral home. Lastly, this episode covers the funeral planning process that the family will go through once the authorities have been notified of the death.  ..read more

When people who haven’t had conversations about death and dying become seriously ill or injured, often their family has to make difficult decisions on their behalf their funeral arrangements.  In this episode, Brian talks about different reasons it can be good to start the conversation about what your final wishes are before there is a need. He also provides ideas on different times that could be a natural opening to the conversation. Reasons to start the conversation early- before an illness  ● Peace of mind ● Ability to communicate wishes ● Able to prepare financially  ● Abili ..read more

Sometimes it can feel uncomfortable to bring up the conversation or figure out where to start when discussing your final wishes. In this episode, Brian talks about ways to start planning both on your own and with your loved ones. He gives ideas on what to look at to start the process of planning your final wishes. Brian also gives ideas on different ways to bring up the conversation with loved ones such as going to The Conversation Project or filling out the online pre-arrangement form on our website. How to start planning for the conversation: - Check in on your life insurance - Locate or sta ..read more

While most deaths today are due to chronic illness such as heart disease and cancers, death can occur unexpectedly in accidents and sudden severe illness. This is why it is important to start the conversation about final wishes early. In this episode, Brian talks about what things should be addressed in a conversation about death. He explains what information your funeral director will need to know in an arrangement conference and what to write down during the conversation. He also talks about what items should be brought to an arrangement conference and different documents that would be helpf ..read more