A thoughtful exploration of everything about life-limiting illness, dying, and death. Everyone Dies is a nonprofit organization with the goal to educate the public about the processes associated with dying and death, empower regarding options and evidence-based information to help them guide their care, normalize dying, and reinforce that even though everyone dies, first we live, and that every day we are alive is a gift.
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They say we die twice: once when we take our last breath and again when our name is spoken for the final time. But in today's world, there's a third passing to consider - our digital death. Welcome to Death and Dying in the Digital Age, a podcast that explores the uncharted territory of our online afterlife. Join host Niki Weiss each week as she navigates the complexities of end-of-life planning, from safeguarding your individual legacy to ensuring your loved ones can access your important d ...
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Honoring Our Pets in Their Final Days | Dr. Faith Banks
32:13
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32:13In this powerful episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age, host Niki welcomes Dr. Faith Banks, DVM, CHPV, a hospice veterinarian from Toronto, to discuss the emotional and practical aspects of end-of-life care for pets. With over a decade of experience in pet hospice and euthanasia, Dr. Banks shares her journey into this specialized field, the…
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S5E46: "Why Do I Have Cancer?" Kismet, Chastisement or Coincidence?
31:16
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31:16Send us a text Is the reason I got cancer because of fate, punishment...or is it just part of the human experience? Show Notes How people receive a cancer diagnosis is variable. Their reactions can range from anxiety, fear, and depression to feelings of guilt. They may feel cancer is a punishment for past actions or failure to practice a healthy li…
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Why Everyone Dies—And How to Prepare for It | Marianne Matzo
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40:30In this powerful episode of Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki sits down with Dr. Marianne Matzo, FAAN—palliative care expert, nurse, and host of Everyone Dies Podcast—to explore the complexities of death, hospice, and end-of-life decision-making in the digital era. Dr. Matzo shares her 46 years of experience in palliative care, shedding light on th…
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Why Does Cancer Exist? Empower Yourself With Understanding
32:47
32:47
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32:47Send us a text Did you or someone you love ever ask: What exactly is cancer? Why did I get cancer? Did I do something to cause it, or was it just bad luck? Noble laureate Dr. Harold Varmus says, "The prevention of cancer requires us to look not just at genetic predisposition but at how our lifestyle choices and environmental exposures interact with…
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How to Navigate the Password Sh*t Show | David Cox
42:43
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42:43In this eye-opening episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age, Niki sits down with YouTube tech expert David Cox to tackle one of the most overlooked aspects of end-of-life planning: your digital legacy. What happens to your passwords, accounts, and digital assets when you're gone? David breaks it down with step-by-step guidance on setting up A…
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Send us a text It’s that time of year, the weather is cold and major snowstorms are occurring, and while beautiful to watch, they can turn deadly. Driving becomes hazardous. Frostbite is a very real risk. Skiing and snowboarding accidents can ruin a family vacation, and worse, cause a fatality. But our primary discussion this week is about the dang…
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Dying to Learn about Medicare | Sylvia Gordon
35:48
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35:48In this insightful episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss sits down with Sylvia Gordon, an expert in Medicare, Social Security, and estate planning. With over 30 years of experience, Sylvia shares her journey from being an estate planning attorney to training insurance agents on navigating complex government programs. The conversati…
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Sundowning: Understand The Causes, and Tips to Make it Better
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17:31Send us a text What causes sundowning, and is there anything you can do to decrease the effect? Listen and get show notes: https://bit.ly/3CbLHET Sundowning is a behavior change in people who become agitated, uncooperative, hallucinate, pace, or have increased confusion as the sun goes down. It has been found that these behaviors do not only occur …
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Using a Death Doula to Support Your Soul's Journey | Christopher Robbins
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34:11In this powerful episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss dives into the transformative journey of Christopher Robbins, founder of Soul Degree and a certified death doula. Together, they explore profound themes of mortality, personal growth, and the healing power of meaningful conversations around death and dying. Christopher shares t…
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Driving With Dementia - Is it Safe? Learn How to Tell
27:23
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27:23Send us a text Can someone with dementia still drive, and what are signs that it is dangerous to yourself and others to continue? Learn what to watch for and other resources HERE. How Do You Know When It’s Time to Stop Driving? This week we discuss safe driving - how to know when it is time to give up your car keys, especially after a diagnosis of …
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How to Protect Your Business and IP in Case of Death | David Postolski
35:29
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35:29In this insightful episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age, host Niki Weiss is joined by corporate and intellectual property attorney David Postolski to tackle the often-overlooked yet critical topic of preparing your business and intellectual property for life's uncertainties. Drawing from his personal experiences with loss and his professio…
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How Do You Mend a Broken Heart? Learn About Takotsubo Cardiomyopathy
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27:16Send us a text Can a broken heart be mended? Perhaps if we are talking about takotsubo cardiomyopathy - also called broken heart syndrome - which is stress-induced damage to the heart muscle. Ninety percent of the people with this heart syndrome are post-menopausal women whose symptoms occur after severe emotional or physical stress. Learn about it…
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In this episode, host Niki interviews Lisa Pahl, LCSW and co-creator of the Death Deck—a card game designed to make difficult conversations about death approachable, and even fun. Lisa, a hospice social worker with nearly two decades of experience, discusses the inspiration behind the Death Deck: witnessing families struggle without having had crit…
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"His Widowed Bride" - Exploring Widowhood and Resiliency with Lori Tucker-Sullivan
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55:15Send us a text Recovery from the death of a spouse is a lifelong healing process. Each year brings a measure of healing as we move toward being able to reclaim life’s joy. Lori Tucker-Sullivan has been widowed for 14 years and shares her journey as she authored her book, I Can’t Remember If I Cried: Rock Widows on Life, Love, and Legacy. https://bi…
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They say we die twice: once when we take our last breath and again when our name is spoken for the final time. But in today's world, there's a third passing to consider - our digital death. Welcome to Death and Dying in the Digital Age, a podcast that explores the uncharted territory of our online afterlife. Join host Niki Weiss each week as she na…
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Advance Directives - A Guide to Documenting Your Healthcare Wishes
52:53
52:53
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52:53Send us a text If you are incapable of making medical decisions, who would you want to speak for you? How do you let them know what is important to you in your care? We discuss the importance of preparation at any age, how to do it, and what resources are available to help. Show notes: https://bit.ly/4iSwqci In this episode we delve deep into Advan…
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In this episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss explores the profound intersection of music therapy, end-of-life care, and lasting legacies with accomplished music therapists Brooke and Karen. Together, they reveal how music can bridge the deep emotional gaps when words fall short. The conversation dives into the fascinating science …
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How to Boost Sleep for Mental and Physical Wellbeing
34:55
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34:55Send us a text The expectations we put upon ourselves for a "perfect" holiday can wreak havoc on our stress levels, mood, and relationships. One of the things we can do to take care of ourselves is to get enough rest. Learn 5 tips to help you wind down and improve your sleep. https://bit.ly/3DB4nhj We also rebroadcast Season 1 Episode 40, where we …
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Dating After Death: Finding Love After Unexpected Loss
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40:40In this episode, we explore the deeply personal journey of dating after loss with relationship expert Whitney Kobrin, who shares her own transformative story of finding love again after her husband's unexpected passing. Whitney opens up about navigating the complexities of honoring her late husband's memory while embracing new love, offering raw in…
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Send us a text Can multivitamin supplements help prevent memory loss and mental decline in older adults? We share research that shows encouraging results, and why you should start taking a supplement now. Learn also all about Alzheimer's disease symptoms, causes, treatments and self-care in our S1E48 rebroadcast. More than 6 million people currentl…
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A Futurist's Take on Ethics and the Evolution of Death Tech
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35:58Join us as we slide into the world of death technology and digital legacies with Dr. Sarah Parker Ward, an end-of-life strategist and professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Dr. Parker Ward shares her journey from digital advertising to becoming a pioneering voice in the intersection of technology and end-of-life planning. She offers unique …
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Send us a text When is it time to say goodbye to a pet at end of life? We talk about this agonizing decision in this episode, and give you a quality of life assessment tool in our show notes to help with your decision. Listen to this and more as we also rebroadcast S1E27 about the death of a pet. https://bit.ly/3BhednU In this Episode: 00:00 - How …
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Digital Vaults Explained: Protecting People, Places, Things, and Documents
45:13
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45:13In an era where our lives are increasingly digital, what happens to important documents, accounts, and assets when an emergency strikes? Glenn Shimkus, founder of Prisidio and former DocuSign pioneer, shares his story of being thousands of miles away in Bora Bora when his mother faced a medical emergency – and how having a digital vault saved cruci…
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Growth and Remembrance: What to Expect Your Third Year of Grief
57:16
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57:16Send us a text Does grief get smaller over time, or do we instead we grow larger around it? Two years after trauma of the death we typically move into a period of healing and self-correction. The third year after a death is a time of re-calibrating and rebuilding your body, heart, and brain. Learn more: https://bit.ly/3ZshOc5 We previously presente…
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The Rise of Natural Burials and Eco-Friendly Farewells
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41:05Discover the growing movement that's revolutionizing how we think about our final farewell. In this episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age, funeral celebrant and green burial advocate Carin Bonifacino reveals how modern burial practices are returning to their natural roots—where bodies can nurture the earth rather than be sealed away from it…
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How to Avoid Falls, the Leading Cause of Death for Older Adults
44:12
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44:12Send us a text Falling is more than a bruise to our dignity; it can lead to disability, bone breaks, brain bleeds, loss of independence, and premature deaths. Learn the risks and how to avoid them. https://bit.ly/4eGaYnO In this Episode: 01:51 - "The Apprentice" 04:15 - Recipe of the Week: Brownie Cookies 06:55 - The Importance of a Will 15:50 - Ho…
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Divorce and Death: Planning for Life’s Toughest Transitions
39:47
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39:47What do divorce and death have in common? More than you might think. In this episode of "Death, Dying & The Digital Age," I was joined by Catherine and Karen from My Divorce Solution to explore the unexpected intersections between end-of-life planning and navigating divorce in our digital era. From cryptocurrency and intellectual property to forgot…
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Dying in Good Health: Can We Have a Healthy Aging Process?
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25:54Send us a text Can making good choices extend our healthy life and shorten the dying process at the end? https://bit.ly/4hReUVp In this Episode: 01:46 - Ready for the Holidays? 06:47 - Lore Segal, Émigré Life Novelist, Dies at 96 12:25 - Recipe of the Week: Texas Twinkies 14:00 - Making the Most of Life in Old Age 24:19 - Outro Is it a requirement …
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What stories do you have to leave behind? In this episode, Jennifer Crosswhite, author and CEO of Tandem Services Inc., shares insights about the profound importance of documenting your life for future generations. After losing both her grandmother and father, Jennifer discovered firsthand how precious written memories become – and how devastating …
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USA's Falling Life Expectancy, and Deaths of Despair
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29:29Send us a text How does the USA have a declining life expectancy while other developed countries are rising? Researchers feel it is from deaths of despair. Learn what the factors are and how we can help reverse the trend for ourselves and our communities. Show Notes and Resources: https://bit.ly/3Cm4SLI Americans Die Prematurely More than Twice as …
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End-of-Life Investigations with Michael Zwick, The Probate P.I.
31:14
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31:14Ever wondered what happens when someone dies without clear heirs or their assets seem to vanish into thin air? Meet Michael, a private investigator and probate specialist who uncovers hidden fortunes and long-lost relatives for a living. In this episode, he pulls back the curtain on the world of probate investigation, sharing stories of unclaimed i…
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Dementia Care - Is there a Better Method Than Redirection and Distraction? With Rachael Wonderlin
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38:41Send us a text Can you work with the reality someone with dementia is experiencing? Our Guest Rachael Wonderlin joins us to explain how the method she teaches can save distress and how we need to reframe dementia care to understand time from their eyes. Charlie also delivers a very informative segment on how to avoid scammers. In this Episode: 02:3…
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Can Immunizations Increase Your Lifespan? Learn what historical records show us
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36:59Send us a text Is it possible to see how many lives vaccines have saved? We take a look at global and US trends, and also talk about the history of a deadly killer…tuberculosis. Find out what 2024 recommendations are so you can be up to date. Show notes with graphs: https://bit.ly/40ftEHd We continue our series about deaths you don’t have to die fr…
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Legacy - Who Tells Our Story After We Die?
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37:38Send us a text This week’s show is about legacy, the way in which we are remembered after our deaths. Legacy goes beyond possessions to include the impact we leave on people, communities, and the world. After we die, what is communicated about our legacy is left up to other people. We can only hope that they will be kind. https://bit.ly/3BRyobY In …
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When tragedy strikes at work, are you prepared for the aftermath? In this episode, Bill Prehl shares his experience of losing a crucial team member and the chaos that ensued. Discover how the unexpected death of a colleague exposed critical vulnerabilities in their company's infrastructure, leaving them scrambling for two years to recover. Bill's s…
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In this episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age, host Niki Weiss delves into the often-overlooked world of digital legacies with tech expert Jacki Roach. Discover why your online presence doesn't vanish when you do and how the rise of AI and digital avatars could keep you "alive" long after you're gone. We dive into the truth about "ghost acc…
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Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes at a modern funeral home? Join host Niki Weiss as she explores the evolving world of end-of-life planning with funeral director Matthew J. Grieco. Discover how technology is transforming farewells, from webcasting services to interactive memory displays. Learn about innovative options like solidified rem…
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Learn How Graduating High School May Extend Your Life; Examining the Link Between Education and Mortality
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28:08Send us a text Did you know that people with higher education tend to live longer than those with less education? The death gap related to education is not necessarily between college grads and non-grads, but primarily between high school dropouts and graduates. We show you research that education may truly help us stay on the slow road to death. S…
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Welcome to the first episode of Death and Dying in the Digital Age! This week, I am joined by Bradley Berman and his experience making a film about his good friend’s life and the legacy that his friend left behind. With our world becoming evermore immersed in cyberspace, there is no guarantee that our assets, resources, and important documents will…
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Preventable Death - Learn the Factors to Better Your Odds
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34:19Send us a text You may not be able to cheat death, but can you delay it? We know that everyone dies but the timing may be modified by our lifestyle choices. Learn what the research says can prevent premature death. https://bit.ly/4eNBj3C Premature death is defined as a death that occurs before the average age of death in a particular population. It…
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Food as Medicine: How to Improve Health through the Right Diet
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41:18Send us a text Eating the right food can prevent disease or slow down the effects of a disease we already have. Learn how to read labels and shop wisely for whole foods. Show notes and resources: https://bit.ly/3N2HpkP What does research have to say about processed vs whole foods, and how do you make the best choices? Diet may be destiny when it co…
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The Important Role of the Microbiome to Your Health and Immune Function
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38:16Send us a text Does the gut microbiome affect immunity and other aspects of health? You'll be surprised how vital our tiny allies are, and how our diet affects their function! Show Notes and Links: https://bit.ly/3BaeuIW Gut Microbes produce numerous neurotransmitters vital to mental health, synthesize several vitamins, help the body absorb nutrien…
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What is the Gut Microbiome, and Why Is it Important?
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47:35Send us a text All this talk about microbiome, gut flora, prebiotics, probiotics...what does it all mean, and how important is it to our health? Learn all this and ways to foster that perfect balance. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/47oumUj In this Episode: 03:33 - Ways to Die in the Future - A Near Earth Asteroid 08:03 - Recipe of the Week: Hummus 09:5…
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Slow Ride...Taking the Longer Road to Death
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46:57Send us a text Learn about the personal, social, economic, and environmental factors that influence your health, and steps you can take now to increase your longevity and quality of life. Listen, Show Notes and Resources: https://bit.ly/3ThbmRy In this Episode: 03:22 - Ways to Die in the Future: Extended Old Age 06:22 - Recipe of the Week: Road-Tri…
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You Can't Take it With You: Understanding Money and Death
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21:13Send us a text How is debt and credit handled when someone dies? This issue affects surviving family members, creditors, and the legal system, making financial planning an essential aspect of estate planning. Understanding how debts are managed, and the legal steps involved in handling credit posthumously can provide valuable insights into estate p…
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What You Need to Know to Prepare for Your Digital Afterlife
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30:34Send us a text Your digital footprints linger well after death. What are the considerations for these perpetual assets to protect them from misuse? Learn in this episode. Show Notes: https://bit.ly/46XQfto In This Episode: 03:00 – Take a Chill Out of Summer with a Boston Cooler 08:03 – Our Digital Afterlife – Preparing Your Digital Legacy 26:55 – 7…
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How Virtual Reality Can Take You "Over the Rainbow"
24:40
24:40
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24:40Send us a text This week we explore Virtual Reality (VR) and how VR can be incorporated into palliative care with studies documenting people reporting effectiveness in pain and symptom management and its psychological impact. VR can provide people with meaningful and uplifting experiences, thereby enhancing their emotional well-being, improving emo…
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Grieving in the Digital World means Never Having to Say Goodbye...but is it Best?
38:29
38:29
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38:29Send us a text Learn everything from a bot-related way to die in the future to thoughts around having a digital surrogate to a deceased loved one. In the book Love Story, love meant never having to say you’re sorry. Now, in the age of griefbots, death mean you never have to say goodbye. Griefbots are the creation of digital characters that imitate …
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How to be Prepared for the Digital Afterlife
48:38
48:38
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48:38Send us a text Ever heard of cyberthanatology? Learn how technology has reshaped end of life planning and how to save your family from digital woes when you die. Our guest Niki Weiss returns to share her knowledge to get you started. What are Digital Afterlife Services? Digital technologies are reshaping the interactions between the living and the …
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Digital Assets after Death...What Happens to Your Phone?
40:49
40:49
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40:49Send us a text Learn what you need to know to appoint access to a "digital heir" and things to think about to ensure your digital life is in good hands after you die. In this Episode: 04:46 - A Man Named Ove 07:29 - Recipe of the Week: Tornado Potatoes 08:22 - Digital Assets When We Die: Our Phones (Interview with Niki Weiss) 39:19 - Outro Support …
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