Practical, Emotional, Spiritual Aspects of Caring for the Dead at Home

Death:OK (Let’s Talk About It) is a day of inspiration, information, and connection taking place October 17, 2015 on the campus of Reed College in Portland, Oregon. As part of an ongoing series profiling our presenters, we’re pleased to introduce you to…

Heidi Boucher, presenting “Practical, Emotional, Spiritual Aspects of Caring for the Dead at Home.”

Caring for the dead at home and allowing the family time to spend with the deceased for up to three days often helps those left behind come to terms with the loss. Practical issues of how to prepare ahead of time for home death care, body care basics, creating a sacred space and what to expect over a three day vigil, in addition to how to work with a funeral home will be covered.

Heidi Boucher is a leading pioneer in the home funeral movement. With over 30 years experience working with families in California and Oregon, Heidi has guided and worked with many families doing it themselves. She has given numerous workshops, lectures and has produced a documentary on the subject, In the Parlor, which will be shown during a separate session at Death:OK. As a funeral arranger in the state of California, Heidi has worked extensively with the “mainstream” funeral industry bridging the relationship with home death care guides and funeral directors. She is a board member of the Funeral Consumer Alliance of Northern California and has appeared in several leading publications.