Serving the Todos Santos Community with Comfort Care: Luena Pearson, BCS: Ep6
Luena ‘Lu’ Pearson is the director of Comfort Care: Neighbors Helping Neighbors in Todos Santos, Baja California Sur. Comfort Care also runs Casa Girasol, a senior social center in central Todos Santos.
This non-profit, volunteer organization provides medical and practical care and assistance for those recovering from illness or injury, living with chronic illness or facing end of life. Their services include doula services at the end of life and bereavement counseling. Lu devotes considerable time to education and outreach, with ongoing classes, workshops and trainings. Among the resources Comfort Care offers is their Adios Amigos booklet, an end-of-life planning guide.
I spoke to Lu about her background in end-of-life care, her experiences with death, and her work in providing care, comfort and quality of life for seniors and those who are dying.
In This Episode:
Luena’s journey into end-of-life care, and how she landed as the director of Comfort Care
The many services Comfort Care offers for the community of Todos Santos
Casa Girasol, a senior social center, and the popularity of la loteria and bingo
The growing need for elder care services in Todos Santos, particularly for expats and those with dementia
How an increasing cost of living makes aging in place more challenging
Advice for couples to learn each other's responsibilities and plan ahead for potential care needs
The benefits of making younger friends as one ages
The benefits of "packing your suitcase" with end-of-life plans so you can live fully, with less worry
Reiki as a tool to ease physical pain and provide energetic help at end of life
The importance of sharing personal stories of death and grief
Volunteer fatigue and the challenges of competing for donations with other local non-profits
The growth of the doula community and the future of end-of-life care in Todos Santos
Learn More:
Visit the Comfort Care website
Get Comfort Care’s end-of-life planning guide
