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©All the
material in this website is copyrighted to Kathleen L. Fowler unless
explicitly indicated otherwise. Permission is
granted to use and distribute this material freely but please attribute
properly by retaining the full header information. 11/16/99 Page revised Sep.
29 2005
(You must complete two
of these; Exp. Proj. 1 Due Class 5; Exp. Proj. 2 Due Class 13).
Below are various acceptable options. I am willing to entertain a proposal
from you for alternative activities but it must be approved in advance.
Relevant Events On campus:
Attend one of the events listed below and write a brief summary
of the key message of the
event and
then a 2-3 page thoughtful analysis of how the event illuminated or
enriched
various considerations regarding death and dying. The
analysis should connect the event to specific readings
and class discussion from the course. (A list of other approved
events
will be available early in the semester. Others may be proposed
to me for indivdidual approval.)
Convocation: Azar Nafisi
(author of Reading Lolita in Tehran)
Sep. 21 2:00 p.m. Bradley Center
Take Back the Night Speakout and Rally: Thurs. Oct.
13 8p.m. Friends Hall SC219. "An empowering rally and march that
unifies women and men who wish to end sexual and relationship
violence."
Special Speaker:
Denise Bell, Amnesty International, "Disabling of the Women of
Darfur," Tuesday Oct.
18, 3:30 pm. Hwing Audition
(Sponsored by Office of Specialized Services, the Holocaust Center and
the Women’s Center)
Special Speaker:
Rachel Simon, "Riding the Bus with my Sister." Wednesday,
November 2 at 2:00 SC138. Sponsored by Office of Specialized
Services. Rachel Simon is the author of the book "Riding the Bus
with my Sister." For more information see http://www.rachelsimon.com/
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Off-campus visits: Visit one of the following and complete the appropriate worksheet as specified.
1. Funeral Home Visit: Visit a funeral home and interview a funeral director. Guidelines available through WebCT under D&D Resources/D&D Project Resources.
2. Hospice or Nursing Home Visit: Visit a hospice or nursing home and interview staff Guidelines available through WebCT under D&D Resources/D&D Project Resources.
3. Cemetery Visit: Visit a cemetery and prepare a report Guidelines available through WebCT under D&D Resources/D&D Project Resources.
4. Attorney Visit: Visit an attorney who specializes in estate planning and probate. Guidelines available through WebCT under D&D Resources/D&D Project Resources.
5. Emergency Personnel Interview: Interview a firefighter, police officer, Emergency Medical Service person, or Emergency Room physician or nurse about their experiences with and coping strategies for dealing with multiple encounters with trauma, death, and grief. Be sure to get formal signed permission from the person to write up what they have said and, if possible, get them to read what you have written about the interview.
Personal Activities:
Do one of the following activities
thoughtfully, carefully, and as it serves your needs.
Do not choose this option if you are not willing to do the
research and emotional work needed to complete it well.
Also in order to get credit for this
activity you must be willing to share your results with me. This is a personal decision that you
need to make. (Note: this
does not mean that you can¹t
complete this activity for yourself and not submit
it for credit! I would encourage
all of you to do all of these when you can.)
1. Complete thoughtfully and fully a Five Wishes document (see Five Wishes handout).
2. Draw up a plan for the activities you would wish to follow your death (wake, funeral, memorial service, cremation, burial, tree planting, etc.) Provide a full and thoughtful script as a guide to the person(s) who will be carrying out your wishes. Indicate clearly who you expect those person(s) to be. You can even go so far as to pre-arrange burial/cremation etc. with a funeral home.
3. Research what guidelines, policies, and resources your employer offers in terms of a) extended illness b) caregiving for someone who is gravely ill or dying or 3) bereavement. Develop a set of resources and guidelines that you think your employer should consider adopting.