Embrace the Ides of March at the
First Annual Death Care & Life Transitions Expo
March 15th 2025 from 10am to 3pm
South Sound Manor Event Center
455 North St SE, Tumwater, WA 98501
Join professionals in death care, grief care, assisted living and elder counseling/guidance services in a candid and open discussion about life's most challenging issues!
Learn about disposition of mortal remains options such as: cremation, terramation, aquamation, inhumation, green burial and more.
Hear from and meet people in our community providing assistance with end of life issues including in-home care, assisted living, hospice, death doulas, Olympia Threshold Singers, and others.
This is your chance to get information, ask questions, and hear about what others are thinking and doing in order to make the last chapter of life the best possible for themselves and their loved ones.
Admission is FREE! Seating is on a first come, first served basis.
*No meal service. Coffee and light refreshments only. Box lunches available for purchase.
Agenda (subject to change)
9:45 Doors open
10:00 Final seating.
10:05 Welcome and introductions
10:10 What is a Death Cafe? – Glenn Harper, a local end of life caregiver and facilitator of four monthly Death Cafes, gives a brief history of Death Cafes and what attendees can expect.
10:20 What is a Death Doula? - Jenée Jenkins-Wolfram, a local certified End of Life Doula with Let It Be Quietus talks about the emerging role of doulas in end of life care and the specific services she provides
10:40 What is Hospice? Karen Lohman, a former hospice chaplain with decades of experience and Audrey Peterson, hospice nurse with Assured Home Health and Hospice, share their knowledge regarding the value and limitations of hospice services.
11:00 Modern funeral alternatives/options. Clair Ferris, of Funeral Alternatives talks about current trends and services being offered to help families honor their dearly departed loved ones.
11:30 Intermission – Visit with sponsors, presenters and fellow attendees. Get to know people in the growing aging and death positive community.
12:00 Olympia Threshold Singers – Four local singers share their beautiful harmonies and songs sung bedside to ease the transitions of the dying out of their bodies.
12:15 Return Home and natural organic reduction (human composting) – Jake Miller, pre-planning manager, shares a fascinating presentation about the process of transforming human remains to healthy soil, followed by audience Q&A.
1:00 Grief Support – Stephanie Larkin, author of the book, Grief Country, publisher of a new 75-page booklet: Widowed in Olympia: Local Resources and Information, and creator of the website, seattlewidowresources.com and Brian Hatcher, bereavement specialist with Assured Hospice, share their knowledge and experiences in supporting people experiencing grief and loss.
1:30 Intermission
1:45 Changes in daily living: Elizabeth Ogg, of First Light Home Care and Brooks Blessings adult family homes, talks about in-home care and adult family homes. Tara Geraci, of Guiding Seniors, talks about assessing and matching clients with living arrangements best suited to their individual needs. Tara Harton of Fieldstone Memory Care, talks about specialized supports offered for those suffering from Alzheimer’s/dementia.
2:15 Local resources, organizations and agencies.
2:30 Open forum, final remarks, break – mix and mingle and visit sponsor tables on your way out.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR NOW!
Visit ElderhoodSeniorAlliance.org/expo for updates on program times!
Questions? Email