844. End-of-Life Planning: Protecting Dignity, Autonomy and the People You Love
Talking about death can feel uncomfortable, but avoiding the conversation can leave families making difficult decisions during a crisis without knowing what their loved one truly wanted.
On this episode of Daily Influence, host Gregg-Brooke Koleno speaks with Sandi Bianchi, an end-of-life doula, founder of Shepherd U Home, and co-founder of the Chicago Death Doula Collective. Sandi explains how death doulas provide non-medical emotional, practical, and educational support while working alongside hospice, medical, legal, and funeral professionals.
Drawing on her Mexican heritage and the communal traditions around death she experienced growing up, Sandi shares how community, ceremony, family involvement, and simply being present can help people navigate grief and the end of life with greater dignity and connection.
The conversation also explores what happens when fear begins influencing end-of-life decisions. Sandi discusses how family members can unintentionally place their own fears onto someone who is dying, and why listening, empathy, and respect for the individual’s wishes are essential to preserving autonomy and dignity.
Listeners will also hear a practical step they can take now, even if they are healthy and nowhere near the end of life. Sandi recommends beginning a simple conversation about personal wishes and documenting preferences over time, including where you would want to be, who you would want around you, and what comfort and care would look like for you.
This episode is ultimately about more than preparing for death. It is about communicating intentionally, protecting individual choice, reducing uncertainty for the people we love, and recognizing that difficult conversations can be an important form of responsible influence.
Learn More and Connect with Sandi:
https://shepherdyouhome.com/
https://www.chicagodeathdoulacollective.com/
INELDA- International End of Life Doula Association: https://inelda.org/
NEDA- National End-of-Life Doula Alliance: https://nedalliance.org/
University of Vermont End-of-Life Certification Program: https://learn.uvm.edu/program/end-of-life-doula-certificate/
Values Worksheet from the Compassion & Choices website: https://compassionandchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Values-Worksheet-Only-FINAL-6.29.20.pdf
My Particular Wishes Only from the Compassion & Choices website: https://compassionandchoices.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/My-Particular-Wishes-Only-FINAL-6.29.20.pdf
