The death of Leilani Maxera’s grandmother changed her, propelling her into a career path she hadn’t predicted. Now she’s a social worker, a home funeral advocate, and a grief worker supporting families who have experienced Medical Aid in Dying. 

Hospice was never offered to her grandmother, and this made Leilani an outspoken advocate for advance care planning and end of life care. She’s also a spokesperson for home funerals, and sits on the board of the National Home Funeral Alliance. Leilani provides capacity evaluations for people who are considering Medical Aid in Dying. Those evaluations are required by the state of Hawaii as part of the MAID process. She’s working to correct the misinformation out there about MAID and to reduce the stigma attached to a MAID death.  

As the owner of Kaipuokaualoku in Hawaii, Leilani provides individual counseling, grief counseling, and grief support for individuals who have experienced Medical Aid in Dying with a loved one. A safe, nonjudgmental space to talk is important for someone who’s had a MAID loss.  

Read more about Leilani and the services that she offers at Kaipuokaualoku at leilanimaxera.com.

Find information about Leilani’s Medical Aid in Dying Bereavement group here.

Connect with the National Home Funeral Alliance at homefuneralalliance.org.

Get your copy of the NHFA Home Funeral Guidebook (available on a pay-what-you-can basis) by clicking here.  

Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to [email protected]. 

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Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)