Health Navigation Resources - Advocacy, Grief, and more

The following links are frequently cited in many articles and are provided here as a general resource section for further exploration. Some links direct to Amazon for book recommendations; you are under no obligation to buy anything.

Advocacy Resources

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) is dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to older adults and people with disabilities

Articles on Advance Directives

Eldercare Locator: a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources

Find the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in Your State

Greater National Advocates Directory of Independent Patient Advocates

Patients Voices Matter Foundation – Empowering Patients, Transforming Lives

Independent Patient Advocate – Independent, non-clinical patient advocacy nationwide. Health Navigation, SSDI Application & Appeals, and Whole Health Advocacy. 100% remote. No insurance accepted.

Compassion Crossing, LLC – Independent, clinical patient advocacy nationwide.

Natural Death With Dignity: Protecting Your Right To Refuse Medical Treatment

Beyond the Living Will: Creating Effective Advance Directives and Value-Based Advance Care Planning: A Guide for Helping Professionals

Make Your Own Medical & Financial Power of Attorney: A Step-By-Step Guide to Making a Power of Attorney

Last things first, just in case… The Practical Guide to Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care

Death and Dying: A Good Exit Plan

Grieving Resources

Carrying Loss Forward: Coaching Clients Through Grief and Integration

Living Stones: Christian Foundations for Grief, Growth, and Grace book series

On Grief and Grieving: Finding the Meaning of Grief Through the Five Stages of Loss

Finding Meaning: The Sixth Stage of Grief

It’s OK That You’re Not OK: Meeting Grief and Loss in a Culture That Doesn’t Understand

Need Help Dealing with Grief? GriefShare Grief & Loss Support Groups Are Here for You

Death by Suicide: Grieving Resources

Dying to Be Free: A Healing Guide for Families after a Suicide offers gentle, practical advice to break through the stigma.
Aftershock: Help, Hope, and Healing in the Wake of Suicide: a book focused on navigating the traumatic emotions and finding healing.
The Understanding Your Suicide Grief Journal: Exploring the Ten Essential Touchstones outlines ten essential touchstones for finding hope and healing.
Someone I Love Died by Suicide: A Story for Child Survivors and Those Who Care About Them for children.
No Time to Say Goodbye: Surviving the Suicide of a Loved One: A widely recommended personal account providing insight and validation for survivors.

Please be aware of the American Association of Suicidology, the Alliance of Hope, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Suicide Prevention.

Please also consider reaching out to your county or state department of health, as they may have local resources you are not aware of.

Children’s Grief Resources

No child should grieve alone

Helping Young Hearts Heal: A Guide to Grief Support for Children

When Students Grieve: Practical Tips for School-Based Support

For Ages 4-6

The Goodbye Book by Todd Parr, perfect for very young children experiencing loss for the first time.
The Dead Bird by Margaret Wise Brown – A simple story about finding and burying a bird.
I Miss You: A First Look at Death by Pat Thomas helps younger children understand death and grief.

For Ages 6-8

When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown – Explains death concepts clearly for this age group.
Badger’s Parting Gifts by Susan Varley – Shows how memories can comfort us after someone dies.
Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White – A classic that explores friendship, death, and acceptance.

For Ages 8-10

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson – Deals with unexpected death and processing grief.
Lifetimes: The Beautiful Way to Explain Death to Children by Bryan Mellonie – Explains the life cycle in nature and humans.
A Taste of Blackberries by Doris Smith – About guilt and grief after a friend’s death.

For Ages 11-13

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson – About a 13-year-old whose best friend dies on her birthday, exploring grief through counseling group experiences.
The Truth as Told by Mason Buttle by Leslie Connor – Chronicles a boy dealing with a friend’s death, a learning disability, and community judgment.
The Year of the Rat by Clare Furniss – A 15-year-old coping with her mother’s death during childbirth and caring for her baby sister.
What On Earth Do You Do When Someone Dies? by Trevor Romain – Accessible for ages 8 to young teens, addressing common questions about death.

For Ages 13-18

RIP Corey: My Friend Died and It Sucks! by Chris Buchanan – A graphic novel designed for teens of all reading abilities to process grief.
The Astonishing Color of After – A Time Magazine selection exploring grief, family history, and healing through art.
The Boy in the Black Suit by Jason Reynolds – A 17-year-old learning to cope with terrible news and finding support.
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir by Michelle Zauner – A powerful memoir about losing her mother and Korean American identity.

Specialized Grief Resources

Fire in My Heart, Ice in My Veins by Enid Samuel Traisman – An interactive journal for teens to work through the grieving process.
Grief: Insights and Tips for Teenagers by Joe Jansen – Features words from other young adults who’ve experienced loss.
Grief Recovery for Teens by Coral Popowitz – Body-based practices for managing grief’s physical effects.

Young Adult Literature Exploring Grief:

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo – Two sisters united by their father’s death and his double life.
The Grief Keeper by Alexandra Villasante – Speculative fiction addressing grief, trauma, and immigration.
Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds – A teen coping with his brother’s shooting death.
King and the Dragonflies by Kacen Callender – National Book Award winner about family grief.

Helpful Online Resources

The Dougy Center offers extensive free resources, including activity sheets, tip sheets, and guidance for children and families. They provide age-appropriate materials and have partnered with Sesame Street on grief resources.
Winston’s Wish provides comprehensive bereavement support for children up to age 25, including online chat, phone support, and downloadable resources. It also offers specialized guidance for different types of loss.
Sesame Street Communities: Helping Kids Grieve features interactive videos with Elmo and other characters, activities to help express feelings, and guidance for families. All resources are free and available in multiple languages.
The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) provides educational toolkits, connects families to local support services, and offers professional development for those working with grieving children.
GriefShare helps families locate local grief support groups and provides daily email encouragement for those processing loss.

Enhanced Online Resources for Teens

Specialized Teen Platforms

Talk Grief—Winston’s Wish operates this dedicated online space for teenagers and young adults aged 13-25. It features peer stories and professional support.
Teenage Grief Sucks – A teen-run website opening conversations about grief where teens can read candid stories and share their own experiences.
Actively Moving Forward – A national network specifically created for grieving young adults, addressing the unique challenges of this age group.
The Dinner Party – Young adults in nearly 100 cities worldwide meet for dinner, creating community for emerging adults who’ve experienced loss.

Comprehensive Teen Support Centers

The Dougy Center Teen Resources provides age-specific materials, including tip sheets, that acknowledge “grief usually does what it wants” and doesn’t follow rules or schedules. They emphasize that there’s no right or wrong way to grieve.
Hospice of the Valley Teen Resources offers specialized materials addressing how teens grieve differently than adults, sudden versus expected death, and losing siblings or friends.
The Children’s Room Teen Program provides peer support groups and activities that help teens connect over shared interests as they process grief.

Interactive Support Options

Winston’s Wish offers immediate support through live chat, a helpline, and text services, with no waiting lists. They also provide one-to-one sessions with bereavement specialists for teens 13 and older.
HEART Play for Young Adults connects late high school- and college-aged individuals, providing space to discuss the challenges of graduating, leaving home after loss, and meeting new people.

Educational Resources for Teens and Families

The JED Foundation provides mental health resources, showing teens how they can support one another and overcome challenges during the transition to adulthood.
Eluna Network offers grief resources organized by age range, including detailed developmental information and support strategies for middle- and high-school students.
National Alliance for Children’s Grief provides educational toolkits and connects families to local services, with materials specifically designed for adolescent grief.

Here are resources available for neurodivergent individuals. This covers, but is not limited to, ADHD, Autism, Autism Spectrum, Down syndrome, and similar conditions.

Caregiver Resources

The National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) is dedicated to improving the quality of legal services provided to older adults and people with disabilities

Articles on Advance Directives

Eldercare Locator: a nationwide service that connects older Americans and their caregivers with trustworthy local support resources

Find the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program in Your State

Greater National Advocates Directory of Independent Patient Advocates

Patients Voices Matter Foundation – Empowering Patients, Transforming Lives

Independent Patient Advocate – Independent, non-clinical patient advocacy nationwide. Health Navigation, SSDI Application & Appeals, and Whole Health Advocacy. 100% remote. No insurance accepted.

Compassion Crossing, LLC – Independent, clinical patient advocacy nationwide.

Natural Death With Dignity: Protecting Your Right To Refuse Medical Treatment

Beyond the Living Will: Creating Effective Advance Directives and Value-Based Advance Care Planning: A Guide for Helping Professionals

Make Your Own Medical & Financial Power of Attorney: A Step-By-Step Guide to Making a Power of Attorney

Last things first, just in case… The Practical Guide to Living Wills and Durable Powers of Attorney for Health Care

Death and Dying: A Good Exit Plan

Free Daily Symptom Tracker

Free Caregiver and Dementia Training Videos

CaringInfo – Caregiver support and much more!

The Hospice Care Plan (guide) and The Hospice Care Plan (video series)

Understanding Palliative Care: A Guide to Common Questions and Answers

Bridging the Gap: Palliative Care’s Role in Supporting Rare Disease Patients

Comprehensive Guide to Financial Assistance for Hospice and Palliative Care Patients

Surviving Caregiving with Dignity, Love, and Kindness

Caregivers.com | Simplifying the Search for In-Home Care

Geri-Gadgets – Washable, sensory tools that calm, focus, and connect—at any age, in any setting

Healing Through Grief and Loss: A Christian Journey of Integration and Recovery

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Caregiver Support Book Series

VSED Support: What Friends and Family Need to Know

My Aging Parent Needs Help!: 7-Step Guide to Caregiving with No Regrets, More Compassion, and Going from Overwhelmed to Organized [Includes Tips for Caregiver Burnout]

Take Back Your Life: A Caregiver’s Guide to Finding Freedom in the Midst of Overwhelm

The Conscious Caregiver: A Mindful Approach to Caring for Your Loved One Without Losing Yourself

Dear Caregiver, It’s Your Life Too: 71 Self-Care Tips To Manage Stress, Avoid Burnout, And Find Joy Again While Caring For A Loved One

Everything Happens for a Reason: And Other Lies I’ve Loved

The Art of Dying

Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs, and Communications of the Dying

Coaching Resources

Hospice Buddy – run by Jamie Haberman, RN, with extensive hospice experience.

Code Status — Full Code (aka give CPR) and DNR resources

CRP Facts – What You Should Know (PDF)

The dark side of CPR: Docs say it could be worse than death

Resuscitation is futile in terminally ill patients

CPR and terminal illness: What the public needs to know

CPR’s true survival rate is lower than many people think

Outcomes of In-Hospital CPR: Not as Rosy as Some May Say

CPR on Elderly: Long-term Side Effects of CPR – Potential Complications of CPR – Understanding the Risks – Consequences of Survival After Cardiac Arrest

Psychotherapeutic Considerations for Patients With Terminal Illness (PDF)

CPR Survival Rates – Development and Validation of the Good Outcome Following Attempted Resuscitation (GO-FAR) Score to Predict Neurologically Intact Survival After In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation – Long-Term Outcomes in Elderly Survivors of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Impact of Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders on Nursing Clinical Decision Making (PDF)

Dementia Resources

Self-paced Dementia Training Courses, including Dementia Staging Made Understandable: A Family Guide to Using the FAST Scale

Free Caregiver and Dementia Training Videos

How to read and apply the FAST Scale to stage any type of dementia. Dementia Staging Made Easy (YouTube)

The 36-Hour Day: A Family Guide to Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias

Creating Moments of Joy Along the Alzheimer’s Journey: A Guide for Families and Caregivers, Fifth Edition, Revised and Expanded

Geri-Gadgets – Washable, sensory tools that calm, focus, and connect—at any age, in any setting

Caregiver Support Book Series

Dementia Caregiver Essentials: Comprehensive Guide for Dementia Care (one book that contains the ten books below for less than one-third the price of all ten)

The Validation Breakthrough: Simple Techniques for Communicating with People with ‘Alzheimer’s-Type Dementia’

Dementia Home Care: How to Prepare Before, During, and After

DEMENTIA DENIED: One Woman’s True Story of Surviving a Terminal Diagnosis & Reclaiming Her Life

Atypical Dementias: Understanding Mid-Life Language, Visual, Behavioral, and Cognitive Changes

The Dementia Caregiver’s Survival Guide: An 11-Step Plan to Understand the Disease and How To Cope with Financial Challenges, Patient Aggression, and Depression Without Guilt, Overwhelm, or Burnout

Fading Reflection: Understanding the complexities of Dementia

Dementia Caregiving: A Self Help Book for Dementia Caregivers Offering Practical Coping Strategies and Support to Overcome Burnout, Increase Awareness, and Build Mental & Emotional Resilience

Navigating the Dementia Journey: A Compassionate Guide to Understanding, Supporting, and Living With Dementia

Ahead of Dementia: A Real-World, Upfront, Straightforward, Step-by-Step Guide for Family Caregivers

Four Common Mistakes by Caregivers of Loved Ones with Dementia and What Do Differently (video)

My Loved One with Dementia

How to read and apply the FAST Scale to stage any type of dementia. Dementia Staging Made Easy. (Video)

Understanding Dementia (Alzheimer’s & Vascular & Frontotemporal & Lewy Body Dementia) (Video)

How Do I Know Which Dementia I’m Looking At? (Video)

Geri-Gadgets – Washable, sensory tools that calm, focus, and connect—at any age, in any setting

Dementia Training material (Free)

Promoting Meaningful Relationships with Dementia Patients through Validation Therapy

Unlocking the Power of Validation Therapy in Compassionate End-of-Life Care

Validation Therapy: A Valuable Tool for Families and Healthcare Teams

Best Practices for Approaching Combative Dementia Patients

Dementia Insights: The Validation Method for Dementia Care

The Validation Breakthrough: Simple Techniques for Communicating with People with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias

How Do I Know You? Dementia at the End of Life

The Dementia Caregiver: A Guide to Caring for Someone with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Neurocognitive Disorders (Guides to Caregiving)

Sundown Dementia, Vascular Dementia and Lewy Body Dementia Explained

The Caregiver’s Guide to Dementia: Practical Advice for Caring for Yourself and Your Loved One (Caregiver’s Guides)

Ahead of Dementia: A Real-World, Upfront, Straightforward, Step-by-Step Guide for Family Caregivers

The Dementia Caregiver’s Survival Guide: An 11-Step Plan to Understand the Disease and How To Cope with Financial Challenges, Patient Aggression, and Depression Without Guilt, Overwhelm, or Burnout

Dementia Care Companion: The Complete Handbook of Practical Care from Early to Late Stage

Death and Dying Resources

Find Green (natural) Burial Sites by State

Between Life and Death: A Gospel-Centered Guide to End-of-Life Medical Care

Providing Comfort During the Last Days of Life with Barbara Karnes, RN (YouTube Video)

Preparing the patient, family, and caregivers for a “Good Death.”

Velocity of Changes in Condition as an Indicator of Approaching Death (often helpful to answer how soon? or when?)

The Dying Process and the End of Life

The Last Hours of Life

Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience

The Eleventh Hour: A Caring Guideline for the Hours to Minutes Before Death

By Your Side: A Guide for Caring for the Dying at Home

End-of-Life Doula Resources

Compassion Crossing Academy — Free and paid online courses are available to teach caregivers, nurses, social workers, chaplains, end-of-life advocates, and educators, including death doulas, how to confidently coordinate complex care.

The Death Deck is often a wonderful conversation starter.

Bridges to Eternity: The Compassionate Death Doula Path book series:

Find an End-of-Life Doula

Compassion Crossing, LLC, via Peter M. Abraham, BSN, RN, EOLD, offers on-site services in Madison County, KY, as well as in the seven nearby counties—Clark, Estill, Fayette, Garrard, Jackson, Jessamine, and Rockcastle—and provides virtual options when no local provider is available.
Hospice Buddy: Although Jamie Haberman, RN, CHPN, isn’t a certified end-of-life doula, her virtual services are highly valuable.
The National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) Directory
Death Doula Directory

Currently, no official organization regulates end-of-life doulas (EOLDs). Remember that some EOLDs listed in directories may no longer be practicing, so it’s important to verify their current status.

End-of-Life Doula Schools

Before you consider a death doula school, please volunteer with a local hospice provider as a “companion volunteer” to gain experience with strangers who are dying, as well as with family and staff dynamics. The author also recommends reading the article Economic rant: The death doula crisis we aren’t talking enough about, as most death doula schools do not emphasize that being a death doula is a calling rather than a career.

The following are end-of-life (aka death doula) schools for those interested in becoming an end-of-life doula:

University of Vermont. End-of-Life Doula School
Heart Bridge Holistic Training and Mentorship
National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA): While it’s not a school, it offers a certification pathway.
Compassion Crossing Academy: Although it isn’t a dedicated death-doula school, it offers unique classes that can help death doulas expand their practice. It serves as an important resource for individuals looking to deepen their understanding and grow in this meaningful profession.

Remember that there is no official accrediting body for end-of-life doula programs. Certification simply shows you’ve completed an unaccredited course and received a certificate of completion. It’s advisable to have discovery sessions with any death doula school you’re considering — even if it isn’t listed here — to see if it meets your needs. Also, ask questions and reach out to references, such as former students, to assess whether the school provided a solid foundation for launching your own death doula practice.