GUELPH — While some may recoil at the idea of having a funeral at home for a loved one, it’s actually a growing trend, says Karry Sawatsky.
Sawatsky is a death doula and end of life educator. She is also a volunteer at Guelph's Hospice Wellington.
“It wasn’t too long ago that this was the norm,” says Sawatsky.
“Now there’s a movement to bring death caring back to the families and not to outsource it to professionals, if they so choose.”
Sawatsky said there is a movement to bring death caring back to individuals and families.
“We’re seeing a resurgence,” she said.
A death doula is similar to a birth doula, a non-medical person who assists and support a woman before, during and after childbirth, only a death doula does it at the opposite end of the end-of-life spectrum.
Sawatsky said the “professionalizing” of death caring really only blossomed in the past 150 years or so. Before that home funerals were the norm.
“It brings a lot of healing for the family members at a time there can be a lot of grief,” she said.
“It can also helps to let each person have time with the deceased, then they can process and absorb the loss at their own pace.”
Sawatsky said home funerals can mean a smoother transition, particularly for those suffering the loss of an infant.
“It could be a day or a few days to realize that person is no longer there. It can help connect the dots,” she said.
Her interest in being a death doula was piqued after providing palliative care for two loved ones and seeing some of the difficulties they experienced at that time.
She felt there had to be a better way of making the experience less stressful.
“There wasn’t any focus put on end-of-life planning and it was very stressful in those last few weeks,” she says of one experience.
“I thought ‘there has to be another way of doing death for the dying and the bereaved.’”
That led her to where she is now.
On Dec. 1 Sawatsky will be hosting a home funeral practicum in Elora along with deathcare expert Don Morris. The Home Funeral Practicum provides experience, knowledge, and skills to help you legally and confidently care for someone after death.
The day-long event will offer an understanding, give advice, guidance and educate on home funerals, everything from the legalities, transporting the body home and the supplied you will need.
On Nov. 30 there will be a screening of Parlour, a documentary about home funerals.
