Addressing Fear of Death in Ajijic: Loretta Downs, JAL: Ep2

Loretta Downs is a dynamic, internationally recognized speaker who has dedicated herself to helping people (and specifically expats in Mexico) prepare for a dignified, more gentle, end of life.

She currently lives in Ajijic, on the shores of Lake Chapala, where she has helped hundreds of expats with emergency and end of life plans. Loretta has a Masters Degree in Gerontology and is Past-President of the Chicago End-of-Life Care Coalition. She is a Metta Institute Certified End-of-Life Care Practitioner, a Certified Respecting Choices Advance Care Planning Facilitator, a Certified Senior Advisor, and a student of Roshi Joan Halifax’s “Being With Dying” training.  She is a member of the Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center Ethics Committee, the Association for Death Education and Counseling, the American Society on Aging and the IL Pioneer Network.

I spoke to Loretta about the importance of end-of-life care planning for expats in Mexico, the unique demographics of the Ajijic community, and the need for open (and more frequent) conversations about death and dying.

Watch This Episode on YouTube:

In This Episode:

• Loretta’s journey into end of life care

• The unique demographics of the lakeside Ajijic expat community

• The importance of normalizing death and discussions about it

• Loretta’s eight practices for creating peaceful transitions

• The Lake Chapala Society’s end-of-life checklist and registration form

• The need for advance directives in Mexico

• The challenges of language barriers when making medical decisions

• The importance of understanding the progression of illnesses

• The use of morphine and terminal sedation in Mexico

• How planning for death helps reduce suffering

Learn More:

Visit Loretta’s website at End of Life Inspirations

Watch Loretta’s past talks for the Lake Chapala Society

Get the Lake Chapala Post-Life & Emergency Planning Forms mentioned in this episode