Leona Oceania: You’re going to die. Why not die well? Preparation is key.
Every month Liz Trice interviews a community member for The West End News. This month Liz caught up with Leona Oceania, the owner/operator of Die Well Death Education, which provides information and courses on end-of-life preparation and options.
What does Die Well Death Education do?
I do community death education, and offer End of Life (EOL)/Death Doula services, Home Funeral Guidance, Life Legacy Facilitator services, and Death Education. My sessions cover topics like: Why Talk about Death, Funeral and Body Disposition, the Importance of Legacy Work, Writing an Obituary, Medical Aid in Dying (MAID), Voluntary Stopping of Eating and Drinking (VSED), Home Funerals 101, and end of life related films and documentaries.
I have found that if you offer and create a safe space where conversation about death is normalized, people very much WANT to talk about it and learn more.
What do you mean by “dying well”?
Dying well is to die in the environment and circumstances that you choose. We can express our wishes for what we want our dying experience to be like. For example, we can outline our health care wishes in an advance directive. It’s important to record and communicate if you would like to die at home, for hospice to be involved sooner than later, if you would like to be in a certain room, with certain music, scents, people, etc. Do you want to be touched or not touched? Would you like to be read to? Would you like to be outside if possible? Be as specific as you can for those who will be caring for you.
What are a few options that most people aren’t aware of?
In Maine, you do not have to involve a funeral home on any level. It is possible to do a full home funeral. There are body disposition options available in Maine that are affordable and environmentally friendly: green burial, home burial, alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation). Natural Organic Reduction (human composting) was just legalized in Maine, but the state does not have a facility yet.
What in your background led you to this work?
I have always been fascinated with death. I was the kid who always wanted to talk about it and was confused that no one talked about this thing that happens to everyone. As an adult, I continued to learn all that I could, and got trained as a Death Doula, Home Funeral Guide, and Death Educator.
In 2019, I took over the facilitation of the Portland Death Cafe, which is an open conversation about death (with cake!). It was apparent to me that folks were misinformed about their choices around death. I was invited to run an education series at the Reiche Community Center three years ago, and I now run several community death education series at local libraries, community centers (including Reiche Community Center!), and residential communities.
What is the heart of what you hope to give people?
My primary goal is to normalize the conversation around death, educate people about their choices, and encourage them to take steps to prepare for their own death. Preparation for your own death is one of the greatest gifts you can give those who care about you. Many people are unaware of the affordable choices they have when it comes to funeral and body disposition.
What do you want everyone to know?
In short, talking about and preparing for their own death will not make death come any sooner, but it will, in all likelihood, provide them with the best chances of a good end-of-life and death experience for themselves and their families.
What’s on the horizon for you and your work?
I hope to offer additional Death Education series, one-off presentations, and Die Well Dinners. At Die Well Dinners I come to your location to present any of my death education presentations and/or films to a private group of people.
What advice would you give other people who feel inspired to create something new in their community?
“If you build it, they will come.” If you are offering something that there is a need or desire for, put it out there, be confident, well-informed, kind, and available… and see what happens!
More Information
Die Well Death Education series at Reiche Community Center:
www.diewelldeatheducation.com – Second Thursdays starting September 12th, 6:30 – 8:00 p.m., for 10 months.
Alkaline hydrolysis/water cremation:
https://directcremationofmaine.com/107/Natural-Green-Cremation-Package.html
Green burial options:
- http://mainegreencemetery.com/
- https://baldwinhillcemetery.org
- https://www.burr-cemetery.com/the-park
Funeral Consumers Alliance of Maine:
Link for state specific advance directive forms:
This interview was edited for brevity and clarity.
