End of Life Cafe – Tackling Tough Conversations

Anne Kenny, MD is a geriatrician and palliative care physician, author of Making Tough Decisions about End-of-Life Care in Dementia, and Founder of Together in Dementia – an educational/informational blog/coaching/course platform with a mission to provide a physician-informed approach to care from someone who has also traveled the dementia journey.

Dr. Kenny has a new book co-authored with Teresa Webb, a woman living with and advocating for Frontotemporal Dementia.  The book, Your True North: A Guided Journal for Those Living with Cognitive Loss or Dementia about Legacy, Love and Wishes for the End of a Life Well-lived, will be available in the fall. 

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David McNally is a professional speaker and author of several bestselling books including Mark Of An Eagle and Be Your Own Brand. He has been married twice, both spouses of whom have passed away. His second wife, Cheryl, was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in June of 2019 and passed away in June this year. Cheryl made a decision after her original diagnosis that she would not go into memory care and when her quality of life diminished to where life no longer had meaning, she would VSED (Voluntarily Stop Eating and Drinking). This decision was documented in a KSTP Channel Five news segment called: Cheryl’s Choice. The link to this segment is listed in our resource list.

Joseph Byrd is a minister, theologian, and attorney. He has served as the Lead Pastor in congregations in North Dakota, Kentucky, Florida, Tennessee, and Michigan as well as serving as a seminary professor teaching practical theology and pastoral ministry. He has practiced law serving as County Attorney in Tennessee; a City Attorney in Florida; Assistant Attorney General in the Tennessee Attorney General’s Office; and most recently Disciplinary Counsel and Lead Attorney for Indigent Services with the Tennessee Supreme Court.

Mr. Byrd holds a B.A. in Biblical Studies from the Northwest Bible College (1984); the M.Div. from the Church of God Theological Seminary (1987); a Ph.D. in Theology from the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (1990); and the J.D. from the University of Toledo College of Law (2002).  

Dr. Byrd was Lead Pastor of the Stewart Road Christian Ministries Center for 18 years and the church experienced exponential growth under his leadership. 

Ben Murray is the Lead Pastor at Northville Christian Assembly in Northville, MI. He has been in full-time ministry for 19 years and has filled many positions from a Children’s Pastor, an Associate Pastor, and now a Lead Pastor.

Kim Callinan is the President and CEO of Compassion & Choices, where she has had a leadership role in realizing patient-directed end-of-life care for the past eight years. She launched the Finish Strong initiative, designed to empower patients to take charge of the final chapter of their lives; played a leadership role in the authorization and implementation of medical aid in dying into six new jurisdictions; and launched an initiative to address the inequities in end of life care and planning for historically underserved communities. Kim is frequently invited to speak at conferences, testify before state legislatures, conduct policy briefings, and serve on committees as an expert on end-of-life care options.

Patty Barnett Mouton, MSGc, has served as Vice President at Alzheimer’s Orange County since 2005. She is passionate about enhancing the quality of life for older adults, and people with life-limiting illnesses. Among her roles in the community, Patty serves as Program Director for the Hoag Hospital Palliative Care education program, is appointed to the Senior Citizens Advisory Council to the OC Board of Supervisors, as well as the Provider Advisory Committee to CalOptima. She is a certified ELNEC (End of Life Nursing Education Consortium) Instructor, holds a graduate certificate in Palliative Care Chaplaincy from CSU San Marcos, and has co-chaired the Orange County, CA POLST Coalition for the past 10 years. 

She is currently a candidate for a Masters in Gerontology at CSU Long Beach.

Brian Fulcher is the Family Service Manager at Sunset Kapala Glodek Funeral Home and Cemetery as well as Wulff Funeral Home.  He leads a team of committed, compassionate Family Service Counselors who find fulfillment and professional satisfaction in helping individuals and families prepare for and plan their legacy.

“Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak knits up the o-er wrought heart and bids it break.” Thirty-three years ago, I came across this Shakespeare quote as I was graduating from the Program of Mortuary Science at the University of Minnesota with my mortuary science degree. As a mortician and funeral celebrant, I keep these words close to my heart when helping families through the life-changing experience of the death of a loved one. As a teaching specialist with the University of Minnesota Program of Mortuary Science, I teach future funeral directors the importance of anticipatory grief that both families and the person with dementia experience.