Resources

I am but one death educator with one website. Fortunately, the internet is teeming with similar websites that cover death and dying from different angles. I’ve included some of my favorites below. I’ve also created a section where you can find resources specific to your state, from advance healthcare directive forms to grief therapists to legal help and beyond. It took me ages to build, but that’s how much I love you.

Did I miss something? Is a link broken? Let me know.

General resources

AARP: Family Caregiving - a caregiving resource center supported by the country’s premiere organization for senior citizens

Administration for Community Living: Eldercare Locator - find a wide variety of support for elders from housing, to transportation, to insurance and more

The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) - has a search function to help you find qualified estate attorneys in the U.S.

Caregiver Action Network - a nonprofit dedicated to helping Americans who are caring for sick or disabled loved ones

CaringInfo - a website from the National Alliance for Care at Home that offers resources for dying people and their families to get the end-of-life care they need

Compassion & Choices - a nonprofit that aims to expand end-of-life care choices, including Medical Aid in Dying (MAID)

The Conversation Project - not sure how to start talking to your parents about end-of-life care? There’s a whole nonprofit for that.

The Dinner Party - a platform for grieving 20-, 30-, and early 40-somethings to find peer community and build lasting relationships

FEC Public - free financial counseling may help you in the event that you inherit money from your parents

FreeWill - a website—subsidized by nonprofits—that will help you build your will and other legal documents for free

Funeral Consumers Alliance - a nonprofit that aims to protect consumers who are planning funerals by offering advocacy, information and resources

FTC’s Funeral Rule - this legal regulation “makes it possible for you to choose only those goods and services you want or need and to pay only for those you select, whether you are making arrangements when a death occurs or in advance”

Green Burial Council - “this is the place to learn more about green burial and how to find certified cemetery stewards, funeral professionals, and funerary product sellers who share the commitment to create more sustainable after-death options for you, your community, and the planet”

Grieve Leave - a website that offers grief “knowledge, advice and tangible resources,” and helps provide community

Hospice Foundation of America - a nonprofit that promotes hospice care and educates both families and professionals about hospice

INELDA - the International End-of-Life Doula Association, which not only helps you find a doula, but also offers various educational courses for those navigating death and grief

Loose Ends - a very cool nonprofit that will finish the textile projects (knitting, crochet, needlepoint, etc.) your dead parents couldn’t finish

Medicaid.gov: Hospice Benefits - learn what hospice benefits the U.S. government provides for low-income citizens

Medicare.gov: Hospice Care - learn what hospice benefits the U.S. government provides for senior citizens

Modern Loss - a website with articles and essays that cover “the unspeakably taboo, unbelievably hilarious, and unexpectedly beautiful terrain of navigating your life after a death”

National End-of-Life Doula Alliance - “NEDA unites all those in the end-of-life doula field, both trainers and practitioners, to define and promote our role as caregivers, volunteers and/or professionals.”

National Funeral Directors Association: Remembering a Life - this consumer-focused site from the NFDA can help educate you about funerals and find funeral homes in your area

National Home Funeral Alliance - aims to “educate individuals, families, and communities about caring for their dead” at home

Omega Home Network - a nonprofit network of homes that provide compassionate end-of-life care to those in need, featuring a map of U.S. locations

Qabr.org - an online resource for all things related to Muslim death and mourning

Shiva.com - an online resource for all things related to Jewish death and mourning

Social Security Administration: Survivor Benefits - you may be eligible for benefits “if you’re the spouse, divorced spouse, child, or dependent parent of someone who worked and paid Social Security taxes before they died”

The Order of the Good Death - an organization that provides death planning educational materials and sponsors legislative efforts to promote a good death for all

TalkDeath - a website that publishes articles related to all things death and dying, from the political, to the environmental, to the personal

USA.gov: Legal Aid - learn about programs and organizations that can help you find an affordable attorney

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): Talk to a Housing Counselor - if your parents’ estate included a house and you’re struggling to pay the mortgage, HUD counselors may be able to help

U.S. Department of Labor: Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) - your employer may be legally required to give you time off to care for sick or dying relatives

Grief can be brutal. If you’re having suicidal thoughts, visit the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Sending you lots of love.

Resources by state