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And the Winner of Our First Annual End of Life Charity Giveback is...
First of all, welcome to the new “Helping You Through” blog! As part of the relaunch of EndofLifeInsights.com, we’ve also redesigned and relaunched our blogs. Please be sure to update your links! And...
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Presidential Funeral Trivia - On Abraham Lincoln's 200th Birthday
In Celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s 200th Birthday this month, and President’s Day, Here are some little know presidential funeral facts:Andrew Jackson’s parrot had to be removed from his funeral...
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A Valentine's Day Message from Ben Stein to His Late Wife
Ben Stein, former comedian and now political analyst on a multitude of shows taped this Valentine tribute to his wife for the CBS Sunday Morning Show. Although it is dated 2008, the message of love and...
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Night Funeral in Harlem - by Langston Hughes
In Celebration of Black History Month, here is a poem written by Langston Hughes (1902-1967). Enjoy this beautiful poem, and post your comments below.Night Funeral In Harlem by Langston HughesNight...
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National Healthcare Decisions Day
Do you have your advanced directives in place? Do you know what an advanced directive is? April 16th is National Healthcare Decisions Day and it refers to a living will and a healthcare power of...
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Kicking the Bucket and Buying the Farm
I recently saw an article citing the origins of some of the most common phrases we all use. It got me wondering about the origins of some of the euphemisms we use surrounding death. Although a little...
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Die Hard Soccer Fans
What separates a soccer fan from a die-hard soccer fan? A grave location. The German fans of the Bundesliga Club in Hamburg, Germany can be buried within ear shot of the stadium they loved. With room...
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Contributions for Your Favorite Charity - Nominate Your Charity in the Comments
I got this idea a few weeks ago reading my Real Simple magazine and an article on how people give back over the holidays. One reader wrote that she has a charity giveaway on her blog. Great idea! So...
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Cyber Monday
You’ve probably heard of Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when “crazy” people get up at 4am to get a good deal on a present, (the rest of us are in a “Turkey Coma” at 4am the day after...
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Favorite Foods Dinner
I read a fantastic article, “Honor Your Loved One’s Memory with a Favorite Foods Dinner” from the Grief Digest Quarterly Magazine. Although born out of a family tragedy, the author, Harriet Hodgson,...
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Redefining Dead
Historically the definition of “dead” was important to make certain no one was buried alive. Today it’s important because transplant surgeons need to know when they can take your organs. A recent...
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DORA Division of Insurance Alleges Neptune Society Used Bait and Switch
The following is a Colorado Division of Insurance Press Release dated October 3, 2008. To read a PDF of the complaint filed against the Neptune Society scroll down to the end and click on the link....
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Resting in Peace Through Hurricane Season
Once while giving an exam on disaster management I asked my students to number in importance, 1-5 the steps that should be taken after a disaster. I wanted to know that they understood the concept that...
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Pre-Need Funeral Fraud
The funeral industry seems to have a constant stream of pre-need fraud examples in the press. On September 11th the Colorado Division of Insurance and the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) added...
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The Pentagon Memorial Dedication
I don’t know why, but for some reason this September 11th anniversary was extra sad to me, I had a lump in throat all morning. Perhaps it was because of that solemn and symbolic memorial ceremony I...
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Cremation Mercury Issue Not Going Away in Minnesota
I’ve written several blogs on mercury being released during cremation from dental amalgams. I’ve made no apologies for my position on supporting decedent rights on the issue that they should not have...
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The Olympic Spirit
As a person who normally goes to bed between 8:30 and 9:30 pm, the Olympic schedule is taking its toll on my sleeping patterns. Every morning I walk the halls of the college needing toothpicks in my...
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Helping Your Friends Through Tragic and Sudden Loss
If you had a friend whose mother died of cancer and daughter died in a car accident would your respond in the same manner, probably not. I started thinking about this after the recent loss of a family...
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Finding Relief After a Death?
I have talked with countless people who have felt a relief when their loved one died. Relief their loved one was no longer in pain, relief that they didn’t have to visit that nursing home anymore and...
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Is Nothing Sacred Anymore
The short answer to the question, “Is nothing sacred anymore?” is a sad, “No.” Not even our dead are sacred. In the 1800’s doctors and anatomists stole bodies from graves to learn more about the human...
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Organ Transplant in Britain - You Must Opt Out Instead of Opting In
In the United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown has gone on record as supporting hospitals to take organs for transplant without the patient’s prior consent. Only about 24% of the UK population has...
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Tips on Saving Gas -- And Your Gas Money
Here in Denver, we are paying over $4 a gallon now, so I thought I would share a few tips of saving gas that were recently forwarded to me. I know a lot of you are paying even more. And while this may...
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A Consumer Guide to Funerals
The last blog in our series about free government brochures is Funerals: A Consumer Guide. However, the catch with this brochure is… it’s a dollar. Not a high price by any means but the Federal Trade...
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Some Interesting Facts About Arlington National Cemetery
We’ve been reviewing a series of brochures that are provided by the government on end of life issues. As Memorial Day has just passed it is timely to review the requirements to be buried at Arlington...
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Estate Planning - Why It Matters
With all of the legislative hoopla I got off track on my blog series about information obtained from the Federal Citizen Information Center. Let’s pick up with Estate Planning this week (you can read...
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The Helpful-But-Sometimes Goofy AARP Strikes Again
I often make fun of AARP in my blog. I don’t think that they are inherently evil or anything, they just seem to be off the mark so often. If I had to compare them to a Disney character I would pick...
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No Licensure for Colorado Funeral Directors
House Bill 08-1123, regarding licensure and registration for funeral directors died in the Colorado Senate this legislative session. For 7 years the Colorado Funeral Directors Association with varied...
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A Helpful Guide to Long-Term Care Insurance
You may not think of long-term care insurance as an end of life issue, but it’s something that aging people (and progressive younger people) are realizing that they need. People are living longer in...
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Caring for an Aging Loved One
The Federal Citizen Information Center (FCIC) provides A LOT of free aging and end of life information for consumers. I recently wrote to the FCIC and received about 10 free brochures on those topics....
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How a Bill Becomes a Law in Colorado
Regarding HB 1123, I have received several emails, and have had numerous conversations with end of life professionals on how a bill actually becomes law in Colorado. Right now the bill is stuck waiting...
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Funerals to Die For
Recently the CBS Early Show aired a three part series titled “Funerals To Die For”. The first part was a fantastic montage of the personalization going on in funeral service. From a Harley Davidson...
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HB1123 Ends in Tie Vote for the House Appropriations Committee
On Friday, February 29, 2008 HB1123 ended in a tie vote for the house appropriations committee. There are 13 committee members, 12 were present. All present Republicans voted against the bill last...
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The 5 Most Important Times to Reach Out To Grieving People
1. Upon hearing about the death.Respond quickly. Pick up the phone and call or visit your friend to offer your condolences and support.2. At the funeral service.Attend whatever funeral services have...
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House Committee Votes to Pass the Bill
On February 4, 2008 the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee voted 7 to 4 to pass HB 08-1123 and send it to the House Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation.What happens next:•...
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House Business Affairs and Labor Committee Testimony
On January 31, 2008 the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee heard testimony on HB08-1123. However, they did not vote on the bill at that time. Here’s the status of the bill:After the initial...
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Offer Your Testimony on House Bill 08-1123
The House Business Affairs and Labor Committee is scheduled to hear testimony on House Bill 08-1123 on January 31, 2008 at 1:30 PM at the Capitol in Room 0107 (that’s in the basement). A full PDF copy...
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House Bill 08-1123 is Introduced
House Bill 08-2113 has been introduced by House Representative Debbie Stafford. Sponsorship from Senate comes by way of Senator Larry Johnson. A full PDF copy of the bill is available for you by...
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Pre-Planning Funerals -- Good Idea or Total Rip-Off
The January Edition of the AARP Magazine features an interesting article about pre-funding a funeral and it worth every minute of your time to read (you can read the full AARP article here). Although...
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Wreathes Across America
The Wreaths Across America story is growing, yet again. Fifteen years ago a wreath company in Maine had over 5,000 extra wreaths too close to Christmas to release to the market. How would you get “rid”...
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Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies Releases Their Sunrise Review on...
On December 6, 2007 the State of Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) released their Sunrise Review on Funeral Service Practitioners.• What did they find? The State cited several...
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Divorce, Loss of Income, and Moving
Loss is not only experienced through death. Maybe you lost a job this year. The loss of income may affect your spending this season. Set a realistic budget and stay within it. Prepare children for the...
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With Thanks
In the spirit of Thanksgiving this week, I would like to share 5 things with you that I am thankful for.✴ I am thankful for my almost 20 years in Funeral Service.✴ I am thankful for all of the grieving...
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Martha Thayer Interviewed on Denver News
Martha L. Thayer, founder of End of Life Insights, has just appeared on Denver’s Channel 7 News. She was interviewed regarding some of the problems with Colorado’s Funeral Service Industry. In...
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Scattering Cremated Remains
When a family chooses ground burial or entombment, it’s obvious that the final disposition of their loved one will be marked with some type of marker stating the person’s name, and dates of birth and...
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Second Annual End of Life Charity Give Back
I got this idea last year reading my Real Simple magazine and an article on how people give back over the holidays. One reader wrote that she has a charity giveaway on her blog. Great idea! Last year...
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Reaching Out During the Holidays
Do you have a friend or neighbor who lost a loved one this year? Knowing this can be a very hard time of year for them can make it all the more difficult to know how to reach out. Here are a few gift...
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The Never Ending Lists of 2009
The Never Ending Lists of 2009 One can’t watch TV in the last few weeks of the year without seeing a never ending parade of lists. The best of this, the worst of that, the funniest, the best...
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2nd Annual Charity Winners Announced
2nd Annual Charity Winners AnnouncedThis year we have two winners for the end of life give back. First, the Denver Dumb Friends League received a donation in memory of Jeremy McCarroll. Jeremy’s...
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New Regulation for Funeral Service in Colorado
For the first time since 1982, funeral service in Colorado is being regulated at the state level, sort of. As of January 1, 2010 all funeral homes and crematories must register with the Department of...
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Disaster in Haiti - How to Help & What Funeral Directors Should Know
Watching the news for the past few days it’s easy to get compassion fatigue seeing all of the videos of the suffering, devastation, and loss in Haiti. To say our minds can’t comprehend the situation is...
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