Speaking Their Name: Keys to Supporting the Bereaved with Alison Potter from Give a Mile

End-of-life, death, bereavement, and grief are undeniably sensitive topics, but they are an inherent part of the human experience. When someone loses a loved one, grief becomes an inevitable companion, and receiving the right support becomes essential for fostering a healthy outcome. Grief is an intrinsic aspect of love, representing a lifelong response that brings about profound changes in an individual. During such trying times, providing authentic support to those who are grieving becomes paramount, devoid of dismissive phrases like "I know how you feel" or superficial reassurances. Being present, choosing our words with care, and sharing cherished memories of the deceased while acknowledging them by name can offer solace and validation. This way, we provide an opportunity to honor the departed by speaking their name aloud once again. In a candid discussion, Alison Potter delves into the intricacies of grief and comfort, recounting her personal journey after losing her husband. She also sheds light on the valuable work of Give A Mile in the end-of-life space, and her business, Expected Outcome.

 

Alison is a palliative RN and a volunteer with Give A Mile, a registered charity in both Canada and the US. Their mission is to provide flights for people at end-of-life to connect with their loved ones for a final goodbye. Since they started, they have given away nine hundred and sixty-four (964) free flights, and their goal is to make it a thousand (1000) this year, their tenth anniversary year. Alison has been a Registered Nurse for almost 40 years, worked for over 25 years as a Palliative Care Nurse in Palliative Home Care, Palliative Consult Team in Acute Care, and was the Director of Clinical Care at Rosedale Hospice in Calgary from 2009 to 2018. Allison launched her business, Expected Outcome, in May 2022 to support and educate people on death, grief, and bereavement.

 

Tune in!

 

Key Highlights from the Episode;

[00:30] Episode intro and a quick bio of the guest; Alison potter

[00:56] Give A Mile, the Why behind it, and what they offer in the end-of-life space 

[06:16] Alison’s role as an outreach coordinator and flight recipient at Give A Mile 

[07:34] How to donate money or miles to Give A Mile and how they work

[09:39] Inspiring stories of recent flight applicants’ unforgeable reunion experiences   

[16:09] The maximum amount Give A Mile provides and why they don’t disclose it

[17:26] Grief and how Allison supports people through her business “Expected Outcome.”

[20:57] Why sharing stories and using the name of the deceased is priceless

[25:44] Alison’s word of encouragement to those grieving for pets

[29:09] Wrap-up and end of the show

Notable Quotes 

●      End-of-life care can be anywhere; residential hospice, home, hospital, and long-term care center, or in an ICU where the outcome is uncertain and someone is not expected to survive. [04:04]

●      Telling someone grieving that you know how they feel, they can have another baby, or time heals our wounds hurts because it doesn’t; grief is a price for love, and it’s lifelong. [19:04]

●      Be there, say the right things, and talk about the disease by name, grief is already sad, and by doing this, you are not making them sadder; you are giving them an opportunity to get their loved one name out loud again. [21:48]

Let’s Connect

Alison Potter

Website: https://giveamile.org/

Website: https://expectedoutcome.ca/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alison-potter-rn-bscn-chpcn-b449064b/?

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/thealybird

 

 

 Marie's Contact: [email protected] www.hospiceexplained.com http://buymeacoffee.com/hospice [email protected] Leave a Voicemail: 206-705-3080