Death Cafe profile for Paula Schneider
Location: United States
About Paula Schneider:
Paula's Bio:
Paula is a veteran Registered Nurse of 37 years. She has a BSN and a Master’s degree from the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in Houston. Her health care career has been diverse, but her true love is end-of-life care. She was a hospice RN case manager for 10 years for three different hospices. While working in hospice, she wrote weekly articles on death, dying, and spirituality for the Nevada Appeal for five years. She is an expert in end-of-life care and is passionate about helping people be fully informed about the importance of understanding what dying entails in our American health care system today. She strives to help others live life to its fullest and to be less afraid of death and dying.
What brings you to Death Cafe?
Paula: I love to talk about the spirituality of death and dying with others, so hosting a death cafe is the perfect opportunity for me to live my passion!
What would you like your legacy to be?
Paula: I have made a list of things I have done and some I have yet to accomplish in order to feel I have had a successful life. Most importantly, I want others to feel I am a kind, loving, and interesting person.
Paula Schneider's posts on the Death Cafe website
New Blog post: Honoring Advance Directives
Posted by Paula Schneider on Aug. 21, 2015, 1:41 p.m. 3 comments
I would love to receive feedback from others who are working in the end-of-life field. I recently gave a presentation to a group of professionals who work with doctors and hospitals (I do not). I was informed that doctors are more and more frequently refusing to honor a patient's advance directive, especially if the family steps in and wants a different course of action, even though they may not be the agents listed in ...
This important work by Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley is a must-read for any hospice practitioner and/or family member of someone who is dying who would like to understand what your loved one is going through. One of the most interesting things I learned from this book is that ...
With Circle of Life Community Hospice
April 25, 2015, 1.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Our Death Cafe is free.
Please join us for cookies, coffee, and tea while we discuss the multitude of topics associated with death and dying. We thank our sponsor, FitzHenry's Funeral Home, for providing ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe in Reno, Nevada
Posted by Paula Schneider on March 10, 2015, 7:27 p.m.
Our death cafe had 22 in attendance and the evaluations they completed indicated they felt their time was well spent. The creation of advance directives continues to be an ongoing popular topic in our death cafes, and there are always interesting discussions around this important subject. For the second time, the local deaf community joined in the discussions with the help of two signing interpreters and the hosts felt their attendance enriched the death cafe considerably.
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Carson City
Posted by Paula Schneider on Feb. 22, 2015, 10:16 a.m.
Eighteen participants gathered together to discuss end-of-life issues. Many questions surfaced about how to get "the conversations" started with reluctant family members, so we began our time together by talking about the importance of everyone creating an advance directive and how to use this as an opportunity to open dialogue with family. Our time together was fruitful and beautiful, as our view of the Sierras was prominent from our courtyard setting.
With Circle of Life Hospice
March 7, 2015, 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Free
Circle of Life Hospice and Paula Schneider are passionate about participating in the international death cafe movement. Their goals include helping people be more comfortable with death and dying, overcome ...
With Circle of Life Hospice
Feb. 21, 2015, 2.00 p.m. - 4.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Free
Circle of Life Hospice and Paula Schneider are passionate about participating in the international death cafe movement. Their goals include helping people be more comfortable with death and dying, overcome ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe at University of Nevada Reno
Posted by Paula Schneider on Jan. 21, 2015, 12:44 p.m.
Our event was attended by more than 25 people, some of whom were deaf. The two interpreters who were with them did a great job of signing and the six deaf attendees said they felt at home and included. Evaluations revealed everyone who attended felt heard and accepted. There were many interesting topics and these topics were first discussed in small groups then we formed a large group after refreshments. We considered the question, "Have you ever had a nighttime dream that you died?" and a lively, fascinating 45-minute discussion followed with many stories and dreams being shared. This death cafe was magical, rich, and filled with excellent ...
Death Cafe: Death Cafe at University of Nevada Reno
Posted by Paula Schneider on Dec. 19, 2014, 6:20 p.m.
With Circle of Life Community Hospice Foundation and Graduate Students for Gerontology
Jan. 17, 2015, 10.00 a.m. - 1.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Free
Circle of Life Hospice is hosting this death cafe to help people become more comfortable with the many issues surrounding death and dying. The Death Cafe is an open forum ...
With Unity of the Sierra
Nov. 8, 2014, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Donations to help defray the cost of room rental and food are accepted but not mandatory.
This is an open forum with "Rules of the Game" which are in line with the international death cafe movement led by Jon Underwood. See www.deathcafe.com for more ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe in Reno, NV
Posted by Paula Schneider on Sept. 15, 2014, 7:55 p.m. 1 comment
Our death cafe drew 20 or more people who enjoyed over two hours of in-depth explorations of death and dying. We met outside in picture-perfect weather. Many participants are doing great work in the community in the areas of education, hospice, and caregiving. We are already planning more events of this nature! Our evaluations showed the majority of attendees derived much satisfaction from the sharing.
With Circle of Life Hospice
Sept. 13, 2014, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Free
Circle of Life Hospice wishes to provide a safe, confidential forum for individuals to come together to discuss death and dying. We hope that people will become more comfortable with ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe in South Lake Tahoe, California
Posted by Paula Schneider on May 18, 2014, 6:09 p.m.
Our event drew 10 interested participants who expressed their gratitude for being able to discuss so many interesting end of life topics. Some commented they thought it would be depressing but instead it was uplifting!
Death Cafe: Death Cafe in South Lake Tahoe, California
Posted by Paula Schneider on May 1, 2014, 6:47 p.m.
With Tahoe Senior Plaza
May 17, 2014, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
No Fee
This is an open forum for people who live at Tahoe Senior Plaza and for the public. Topics are selected by individuals who attend. All are invited and encouraged to ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe Nevada
Posted by Paula Schneider on April 1, 2014, 6:12 p.m.
This was our fifth Death Cafe in Carson City, Nevada, USA. We are customarily enjoying about 8-12 attendees and have requested feedback from each of them. Our evaluations have been most positive. People seem to enjoy the intimate environment of a small group meeting in the historical district of Carson City. We meet in the rectory of St. Peter's Episcopal Church, a small Victorian style home built by the brother of Mark Twain. It is said that Mr. Twain used to visit the home frequently. Our plan is to continue offering people the opportunity to explore end-of-life issues in a safe, confidential environment approximately once every two ...
With Unity of the Sierra
March 22, 2014, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Donations (suggested $5) to cover the cost of food and room
Our death cafes are open to any and all who are interested in taking their exploration of end-of-life issues to the next level. We are pleased that in previous death ...
Death Cafe write up: Death Cafe in Carson City, NV
Posted by Paula Schneider on Jan. 29, 2014, 1:30 p.m.
This was our fourth death cafe in Carson City, NV since May of 2013. We had 9 attendees, which made for a safe and intimate gathering. Many of the evaluations indicated people felt validated. It was interesting that we had to leave the building promptly at noon because another group was coming in to decorate for a baby shower. Birth and death are both part of the Great Mystery, aren't they?
With Paula Schneider and Laurie Bauer
Jan. 25, 2014, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Event is free, but donations will be accepted to cover the room and snack costs.
Our event is an open forum interested to any who wish to listen and/or participate in discussions about end-of-life issues. Our goals are to help people become more comfortable ...
With Unity of Auburn
Nov. 23, 2013, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
No entry fee, but donations will be accepted.
This event is sponsored by Unity of Auburn in California. Staff members and volunteers from Hospice of the Foothills in Grass Valley, CA are expected to attend, and there may ...
Resource: Knocking on Heaven's Door: The Path to a Better Way of Death by Katy Butler
Posted by Paula Schneider on Nov. 16, 2013, 1:31 p.m. 3 comments
On Nov. 9, I facilitated a death cafe and one of the attendees highly recommended this book. Two days later, I heard an interview on NPR with the author, Katy Butler. Her words about the way we die (especially in America) were so pertinent and appropriate to today's world ...
This book was written by hospice nurses, Maggie Callanan and Patricia Kelley. In my mind, this is the book that Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, a member of my dream team and mentor, would have loved to have written. It is interesting and informative--a must-read for all hospice professionals and for lay persons ...
With Unity of the Sierra
Oct. 12, 2013, 10.00 a.m. - 12.00 p.m. (Pacific)
Free, but offerings accepted to help cover the room costs and food expenses.
Our goal is to help people be more comfortable with death and dying, overcome their fears about dying, understand that only by embracing death can one fully live, learn more ...