Have you heard of the “minute rule”? Creator, Gretchen Rubin tells Solace, “With the one-minute rule, you don’t have to decide what to do — you just do it.”

Climate, community and cost were the factors that author Environmental Studies professor Mallory McDuff weighed as the navigated green funeral options.

If you are on your own, whether by choice or not, here are seven suggestions to help you navigate Valentine’s Day.

To help us understand what may be ahead, we turned to some of our favorite palliative care doctors to get their views about the future of end-of-life care.

Because it can be complex, we turned to estate settlement experts, our friends at ClearEstate to learn more about what probate is, how it works and how to simplify it.

Several tech companies are working with artificial intelligence (AI) to help simulate conversation with a loved one through chatbots and avatars.

Moved by the deaths of his mother and mother-in-law, Ned Buskirk began to bring people together to collectively grieve, connect and find more “aliveness.”

Military rituals hold deep symbolism and history. We explore some of the common elements of a military funeral here.

Hospice care touches not just the patient, but their families and partners, giving them final moments with guidance from a calm, caring touch that they will always remember.

The safety net hospice created meant we were free to open our home to anyone and everyone Jimmy wanted to see during the final days of his life.

Ofrendas are an essential part of the Mexican holiday of Dia de los Muertos. The altars are set up to honor and remember the memory of a relative who has died.

Nicole McCann-Davis is working to foster equity, diversity and inclusion for staff and patients at the large hospice company, Seasons Hospice & Palliative Care/AccentCare.

Author and publisher Michael Brooke’s love of skateboarding inspired him to write a book about death and dying, a field where he now works.

At Solace, we want you to make the choice that fits your family, values and budget. If your choice includes direct cremation, we’re here to help you 24/7.

Gabby Jimenez recently made the case for adding end-of-life doulas to the hospice team, a role that in her view “could tie everything together.”

Lynnea E. Lindsey is the Director of Behavioral Health Services for Legacy Health. She offers these tips for coping during these difficult times.

Barbara Karnes talks with Solace about the challenges facing health care and hospice workers today and offers strategies for coping.

When a child dies, you mourn the loss of their future life. It wasn’t until the first fall that I thought about the desk Jimmy wouldn’t be there to fill.

Researchers say social isolation is more lethal than excessive drinking, smoking 15 cigarettes a day or obesity and can lead to death, dementia and heart disease.

Crystal Meneses hopes to open conversations about death and build community to take the fear out of the conversation.

San Diego Death Cafe hosts Frank and “Mits” come from opposite coasts, but share a mutual love of classical music and of normalizing death and dying.

Even though end-of-life planning is the greatest gift you can give to your family, it can be overwhelming to know how and where to start.

A Southern California hospice nurse is sharing facts about death and dying on social media — and tens of thousands of people are listening.

Cremation’s early adopters of what was then considered a “radical, tradition-bucking practice” in America were also involved in social justice issues of the time.

These monuments and cemetery sites around the country honor a few of our favorite prominent activists and leaders.

Despite the interest in memorial fireworks, there are few places that actually can send cremated remains or “ashes” in a fireworks display.

If you’re considering scattering “ashes” (cremated remains) at a national park, we’ve done some legwork for you, researching a few favorites.

Although I will forever be grateful that he lived long enough to know Jimmy and Molly, our 42 years together will never be enough time.

“I didn’t choose this topic of dying, I feel it has chosen or followed me throughout my life,” says Christopher Kerr about the dreams of dying patients.

A recent study of 20,000 millennials who created an estate plan found the group was motivated by parenthood and the pandemic.

LGBQT+ concerns may make planning for end-of-life especially important to those with different choices than their legal next of kin might make for them.

Memorial Day honors military personnel who died in service of their country, particularly those who died in battle or as a result of their wounds.

The “Speaking Grief” multi-platform project is aimed at elevating a national conversation around grief by creating the space for the journey to recovery.

The man the kids and grandkids called “Pops” was not someone who would have wanted us to go through “upselling” with a salesman.

“The Death Deck” was created by two friends, combining Lori’s personal journey and Lisa’s experience working in hospice care and emergency medicine.

Have you always wanted to travel to space? Well, though not possible for most of us in life, it is becoming a more popular destination for a final frontier.

I did the hardest thing I’ve ever done and told my only son and oldest child he was dying. I will never regret being present for every minute of those final months and weeks.

The death care business has been male-dominated for many years, but now the majority of mortuary students are women and women are at the helm of many new businesses.

“After that moment on the cliff that I shared in my TedTalk, I changed how I viewed myself and my work,” Laura van Dernoot Lipsky shared with Solace.

Solace Cremation is proud to invest in carbon offsets to mitigate our environmental impact. We work to reduce our carbon footprint at no cost to our families.

Beyond giving you more closet space, there’s a deeper benefit to finding a better, more permanent place for cremated remains. Scattering “ashes” can bring closure and more.

Families who lost a loved one due to COVID-19 after Jan. 20, 2020, may qualify for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

After spending our second year in business in the lockdown caused by a pandemic, it quickly became clear our services were more important than ever.

Solace leaders have shared stories of their lost parents in a new advertising series of short, animated videos and audio stories.

Palliative care thought leader BJ Miller shares this story of a “stolen moment” with a snowball, smuggled into a burn unit by his nurse after a life-changing accident.

If you are choosing music for a loved one’s memorial or funeral, whether online or a small, safe, outdoor gathering, you’ll want to consider these four tips.

Here’s how to transfer cremated remains (“ashes”) to a display urn or take a portion for scattering or use in another small keepsake item or jewelry.

Author and consultant Alica Forneret recently shared more of her personal story and experience with Solace.

A disconnected phone in an Olympia forest is connecting loved ones, even those who are no longer with us.

During the pandemic, “Zoom funerals” and other online memorials have become the norm. And many experts think they’ll be around to stay even after we “return to normal” to help those who can’t travel or attend in-person events. But because it can be tricky to create a...

“After All,” our newsletter and blog feature stories and ideas to inspire, educate and inform our readers about end-of-life and after-life issues.

Since 2009, the practice of “The Pause” has spread to hospitals across the United States and on at least six continents around the world.

Some professional caregivers mistakenly think self-care is “selfish.” Yet in reality, it is essential.

End Well featured two especially powerful sessions with mothers, Maya Scott, a social worker in palliative care from Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Laura Sobiech.

There are moments and lessons we might want to bring into the new year, especially as we think ahead to end-of-life care for our loved ones and ourselves.

Here are just a few folks who like Solace are working to try to change the funeral industry. Meet five innovators in death and end-of-life care.

Here are six beloved public figures who left a particular mark on us, but who live on in our hearts and minds with their art, deeds, wisdom and words.

Though there are no health hazards associated with cremation “ashes” (officially cremated remains), there are a few things you should know before you plan your scattering. There are many popular options for scattering, as our colleagues at Better Place Forests have...

From the first day I met David Odusanya and Keith Crawford in a bustling coffeeshop, I knew working for a cremation startup was different. These guys were not the stodgy stereotype you might imagine with cold clammy hands and ill-fitting suits. They were young,...

Whether you cut flowers and put them on the table, light candles or sing, rituals around mourning and grief give us time to pause in moments of reflection.

Shoshana Ungerleider, M.D., is a physician, founder, speaker, producer and writer. She founded the End Well foundation in 2017.

It may seem counterintuitive, but research shows that loss can actually make us more grateful as we come to appreciate the preciousness of life.

Despite urban legends to the contrary, Disney was not frozen. He was cremated and his ashes were interred at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California.

Veterans and their families may not be aware of the benefits available to them to honor their service to our country after they pass away.

Hospice workers are often the planners, witnesses or facilitators of their clients’ last wishes.

Dia de los Muertos, the Mexican holiday honoring the dead, has been growing in popularity in the United States, especially in the West over the past few decades.

From coffee to aerospace to software, Seattle has a history of innovation. Meet some of our colleagues in Seattle who are reinventing the death care industry.

The cost of cremation on the West Coast is significantly lower than other areas of the country, according to data from the National Funeral Directors Association.

Not only is it your legal right to shop around for low-cost cremation options, but it is also a gift in service to your family.

The celebrities you admired have left a legacy behind that’s meaningful and can help you frame what’s important to you.

Most people know and use the term “ashes” when talking about cremated remains, but in fact the remains are bone fragments, processed into the consistency of ashes.

A study commissioned by Eterneva recently published by Baylor University concluded having a memorial “anchor” item like a memorial diamond can help with grief.

At Solace, we are committed to the safety of our employees and communities and doing all we can to mitigate the risks of the COVID-19 virus.

While fewer people are choosing traditional burial in cemeteries, for many, nature provides the perfect setting.

California is the only state to require funeral homes to post prices online. It became the first and only state to do so in 2013. But loopholes remain.

Seattle remains an exciting market for Solace as the home of so much innovation from companies like Boeing, Starbucks, Microsoft, Amazon and Zillow.

You may wonder how designers got into the funeral business, but it is really quite simple. We were motivated to create Solace by Design Thinking.

Of the estimated $136.5 billion in venture funding that went to tech startups in 2019, only 1 percent went to companies with Black founders, according to one study.

As a startup, we’ve been nimble and looked to new ideas and out-of-the-box solutions. Our fundraising has been no different.

We can’t get enough of a beloved scene in the cult classic movie, “The Big Lebowski.” The film reveals one of the many lessons about the funeral business.

A death certificate is an official legal record of a person’s death used by families to collect funds and close accounts with banks and other institutions.

Surfers have been holding “Paddle Outs” to show unity with the Black Lives Matter movement and promote more diversity and inclusion.

Cremation fireworks are hard to find in the U.S. but are popular in the U.K. The memorial fireworks use cremation ashes for a colorful goodbye.

Racism doesn’t wait for a good time for an ugly intrusion. It is with us in life and follows us toward death.

These tech-enabled death care companies share a desire to make things easier for families, revolutionizing an industry long overdue for a makeover.

Our positive reviews show us that our idea that there was a “better way” was right and each review tells the story of a family we have helped through a difficult time.

Putting money aside in a savings account or a CD makes more financial sense for many than pre-payment for funeral expenses.

It is a difficult time for many, but at the same time, a spark accelerating the changes that were long overdue in the funeral industry.

Those who have lost their moms may need room to grieve this Mother’s Day, while others will have to get creative.

Transparency is one of our core values at Solace, so it is important to us that families understand how our company works.

Solace was created to disrupt an industry ready for a revolution. We are gratified to be able to see our concept in action, helping hundreds of families.

Solace is proud to be among those businesses providing digital solutions, but today we’d like to highlight a few of our colleagues.

Surveys show that though most of us agree it is important to discuss our end-of-life choices, only about a third of us really do it.

Cremation does require the use of a significant amount of electric power, so Solace Cremation invests in carbon offsets to help mitigate that impact.

This year has been so rewarding for Solace. We’ve taken what was an idea and made it a reality, and that is the greatest gift we could ever receive.

Direct cremation is a great option for those families who need a timely and affordable option and choose to meet later to memorialize their loved one.

At Solace Cremation, we feel fortunate to have created a business that can operate completely digitally, safely and remotely, and keep those we serve safe, too.

Amid the COVID crisis, there are positive stories of families and communities doing what they can to keep up morale.

The COVID-19 crisis has brought about so many questions as we all try to stay well and keep others safe. Here are a few answers to common questions.

Finding a way to honor your loved one, whether online, at a future date or outside from a distance, we hope you are able to find support from your friends and family.

As designers, we were inspired to reimagine the death care space after having mediocre experiences with the deaths of family members.

There are still many misconceptions that linger about just what hospice is and who could benefit from it.

End-of-life doulas use education, coaching and role-modeling to bring a sense of empowerment to one’s final months, weeks and days.

As we shared in our last blog, the act of writing can be healing and sharing those letters can help others.

After losing a loved one, the act of writing can be a way to cope with mourning and grief. We hope the good memories will bring you comfort.

For the first time since the early 20th century, more people are dying at home than in hospitals. And about half of those who die at home receive hospice help.

Working on an obituary may give you a chance to share stories and memories with family members. You might even share a few laughs.

Hospice care is used when treatment can no longer cure or control a disease. Many don’t realize they can leave to pursue active treatment at any time.

Less than a year after we launched Solace, we headed south to one of the largest end-of-life symposiums in the country, End Well 19.

Creating an after-life plan will take the weight off family members in the future and give you peace of mind right now.

When someone is grieving, it can be difficult to know what to say. But experts have advice to keep you from either rambling on or saying nothing.

From space travel to tattoos, there are dozens of choices for those who are seeking alternative options for their loved one’s cremated remains.

There are small rituals that can help you remember your loved one and give yourself a meaningful, active way to grieve alone or with family and friends.

As you gather friends and family around the table, why not make room for an often uninvited guest — death.

With nearly 40 years combined experience working with a powerful brand, our mission is to make things easier for consumers with Solace Cremation.

Veteran’s burial benefits can help defray the cost of arrangements as well as give special meaning to their service, even if they served in the military long ago.

Whether Dia de los Muertos is a part of your cultural traditions or something you’ve just discovered, its rituals are an opportunity to honor loved ones who have passed away.

Like palliative care, hospice offers comfort to the patient and support to the family. But in hospice, the patient is no longer receiving treatment aimed at a cure of a terminal illness.

Solace is excited to serve greater Seattle, Washington, an area often on the cutting edge of social trends and inventions.