The End-of-Life Journey: How to Honor Our Final Transition

June 20, 2022
Hosted by Ron Roel

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Guest Information

Episode Description

As we look around us today, there’s no question that this is a time of great transition. For baby boomers like me, it’s the inevitable transition to the end of our generation’s presence and influence, a passing of our lives, as well as the symbolic passing of the torch, and of our legacy to the next generations. It is also a time of immense disruption, tectonic shifts in our economy and society, with a war abroad, political division at home, a worldwide pandemic and climate change. Of course, such disruption can open up opportunities for new, and sometimes surprising, opportunities in life. But it also precipitates a profound sense of loss and grieving at many levels, starting with our families. In today’s conversation, I’ll be talking with Susan Capurso, the owner of East End Doula Care here on Long Island, New York, who is widely recognized for her remarkable work guiding and supporting individuals and their families—emotionally, practically, and spiritually—through an end-of-life journey. A three-time author, Susan is the creator of the “The Healing Garden Bowl,” a bowl filled with Long Island stones with inspiring messages for you to gift a friend when their going through a personal challenge. Susan facilitates “Family Grief Ceremonies” in the comfort of your home and virtually as well. She is also a “Legacy Creator,” and will talk about “The Story of Me,” a project she brings to families that is not only a passion of hers, but one that can change the course of history for every one of our listeners today. These are challenging transitions, but also part of life’s natural journey, and if we address them with care and openness, they can provide an invaluable opportunity to support and honor both ourselves…and our loved ones.

45 Forward

Monday at 12 Noon Pacific Time on VoiceAmerica Variety Channel

Thanks to advances in medicine and health, most of us are just at half-life when we reach our mid-40s, with many potentially productive years ahead. But there’s no road map to prepare us for this period. That’s where 45 Forward comes in.

My show provides you with strategies to shift the traditional waiting-for-retirement model to a journey of compelling life chapters. Each show tackles an aspect of health, finance, family and friends, housing, work and personal pursuits as part of an integrated plan. Experts discuss topics like revitalizing relationships, creating mini-retirements, managing the maze of technology, finding your next homestead and caring for aging parents.

The show instills confidence, and hopefully some comfort, amid the stresses permeating today’s society. Fear of the future is not knowing how to prepare for it. 45 Forward does not proffer prefabricated answers, but helps you shape your life amid the daily anxieties of our time.

Ron Roel

I’m a veteran journalist who spent a wide-ranging career covering business, politics and social issues, the last two decades focusing on the blend of diverse life skills I call successful aging.

I have written extensively on aging topics, spoken at conferences, radio and TV shows, and launched several entrepreneurial ventures, discovering along the way that the path to aging well also requires an unexpected entrepreneurial vision. I spent 20 years as a writer and editor at Long Island’s daily newspaper, Newsday, helping to found Act 2, a weekly section for 50-plus readers. I created Roelresources.com, a website offering practical advice and inspirational essays for people ages 40 and above. I have been a volunteer and consultant to AARP Long Island, writing articles, advocating for seniors, and developing action plans for the AARP Age-Friendly Communities initiative.

I am active in programs and organizations that support seniors, such as the National Aging In Place Council and the Senior Umbrella Network. I have developed a special expertise in family caregiving, as one of four brothers who took care of their mother for almost 25 years. I regularly collaborate with many professionals who provide services and support for older Americans, and I am completing a book for caregivers on Long Island, “The Caregiving Navigator/How to Plan, What to do, and Where to Turn When Caring for you Aging Loved Ones. And Yourself,” scheduled for publication in early 2021.

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