DEATH COACHING FOR THOSE WHO CARE FOR THE DYING

This work centers the person doing the holding.

Caring for someone who is dying is one of the most profound – and often one of the most isolating – experiences a person can live through. My work exists for you, the Caregiver. It is my life’s great honor to walk with those who quietly hold the edges of the final chapter.

Resources for Caregivers

  • Estate planning guides, legal aid organizations, healthcare advocacy, end-of-life legal rights

  • Local therapists, grief support groups, crisis hotlines, hospice organizations

  • Funeral planning guides, secular communities, memorial spaces

  • Provider networks, end-of-life care advocacy, hospice and palliative care resources

  • Community centers, support groups, faith communities, social and cultural organizations

  • Funeral homes, pet care services, household help

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Immediate & Crisis Resources

  • Emergency / Crisis: Dial 911 for immediate medical emergencies

  • Mental Health Crisis / Suicide Prevention: Call or text 988 (U.S. Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)

  • General Local 24/7 Hospital Info: LVHN Customer Service 888-402-LVHN (5846)

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Legal & Advocacy

    • What they do: Free legal information, advice and referrals for older Pennsylvanians (benefits, wills, powers of attorney).

    • Contact: 1-877-PA SR LAW (1-877-727-7529) · helpline@seniorlawcenter.org.

    • Cost: Free helpline; referral services may vary.

    • Accessibility: Statewide phone line; suitable for seniors (60+) and caregivers.

    • What they do: Connects you with attorneys for a 30-minute initial consultation (specialty referrals, elder law attorneys).

    • Contact / Address: Lawyer Referral Service, Bar Association of Lehigh County — 1114 Walnut St, Allentown, PA. Phone: 610-433-7094.

    • Cost: ~ $25 for initial 30-minute consultation (typical).

    • Accessibility: Local referrals for Lehigh County.

    • Mark Van Horn Law Office – Elder Law (Allentown) — handles elder law, estate planning, and long-term care planning. Contact via their website for consultation pricing.

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Healthcare Navigation

    • Hospitals and hospice providers offer case management and care coordination to help with discharge planning, home care, equipment, and referrals. Ask the inpatient social worker or call the hospital case management line.

    • LVHN Patient/Customer Service: 888-402-LVHN (5846) — general access for appointments and referrals.

    • Area Agency on Aging (Lehigh County) — front door for aging services, waiver programs, benefits counseling. 610-782-3034.

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Support & Practical Help

    • What they do: Hospice care teams, in-home support, equipment, nursing, social work, and bereavement follow-up. Available 24/7 for patients enrolled in hospice.

      • Contact / Address: Lehigh Valley Hospice — (610) 402-7800; offices at 2024 Lehigh St, Allentown.

      • Cost: Medicare/insurance typically covers hospice when eligible; hospice also offers free bereavement supports. Accessibility: 24/7 clinical access.

    • What they do: Home health care, hospice services, nursing, social work, and care coordination.

    • Contact: St. Luke’s VNA — check local site or call main St. Luke’s line 866-STLUKES for VNA referrals.

    • Cost / Accessibility: Insurance/home health eligibility rules apply; VNA coordinates with physicians.

    • What they do: Caregiver support, information & referral, Ombudsman services for long-term care, and senior supports.

    • Contact / Address: Lehigh County Government Center, 17 S. 7th St, Allentown — Phone: 610-782-3034 (Aging & Adult Services). Caregiver support line: 610-782-3200 for Info & Referral.

    • Cost: Many services are free or low cost; benefits counseling is available.

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Secular & Spiritual Support

  • The American Humanist Association has chapters across the country that sponsor secular grief support groups. Find supportive articles in the Humanist Magazine.

    • What they do: Chaplaincy, spiritual care, pastoral visits, and ritual support for patients and families (available during hospitalization and by request).

    • Contact:

      • LVHN / Lehigh Valley Hospital pastoral care: Call hospital operator or page chaplain via 610-402-8999 (ask for chaplain on call at 17th Street campus).

      • St. Luke’s Spiritual Care: 866-STLUKES (785-8537) · mystlukes@sluhn.org. St. Luke’s offers 24-hour chaplaincy and spiritual care teams.

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Community Organizations

    • PA 211 (dial 2-1-1 or visit PA211.org) for live help and a resource database

    • Use the county’s Info & Referral for local resources (transportation, homemaker services, respite, meal delivery). Phone: 610-782-3200.

    • Many hospices recruit volunteers to sit with patients, provide respite, or run errands. Contact the Lehigh Valley Hospice Volunteer Coordinator (via the LVHN hospice page) to learn about volunteer support.

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Mental Health & Grief Support

    • What they do: Bereavement groups, individual counseling for family members and caregivers of hospice patients; programs for pregnancy loss and child grief.

    • Contact: Call (610) 402-7481 (Grief Support/Bereavement) — appointments at LVHN Hospice offices (2024 Lehigh St, Allentown).

    • Cost: Many bereavement offerings through LVHN Hospice are available at no cost to hospice families; check for community grief groups.

    • Accessibility: Serves Lehigh, Northampton, and surrounding counties.

    • What they do: No-cost grief support for family members, caregivers, and friends; group and individual options; holistic approach.

    • Contact: St. Luke’s VNA Hospice / Bereavement — check St. Luke’s website or call St. Luke’s general line at 866-STLUKES (785-8537) for referrals.

    • Cost: Bereavement services are provided at no cost to hospice families and the community.

    • Accessibility: Multiple locations across the region; 24/7 spiritual care via chaplains.

    • NAMI Lehigh Valley — peer support and mental health education; family support groups and resources. Contact: 610-882-2102 · info@nami-lv.org. Many peer groups are free.

    • GriefShare — structured weekly groups (in-person and online). Cost varies by host (often $20–$30). Useful if local groups are full.

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LGBTQIA+ Grief Support

Support for those who support others.

Reach Out Now for Consultation

Death Coaching for Caregivers is not clinical therapy.

It is a grounded, compassionate accompaniment designed to help you stay resourced, connected, and human during one of life’s most demanding seasons.

Together we explore:

  • How to emotionally and practically support someone near death.

  • Logistic and administrative direction for the tasks that overwhelm.

  • Communication, boundaries, and family dynamics.

  • End-of-life values, choices, and challenging conversations.

  • Your own anticipatory grief – and the grief you may be holding to stay strong.

  • Creative and meaningful ways to honor this time with your person.

  • Navigating the “after” when the caregiving ends and the transition begins.