The Lily House News & Events

Lily House Job Openings

Tue, 07 Nov 2023 21:46:21 GMT

Our Lily House Family is Growing: New Job Openings

We are thrilled to share the good news that we are expanding our Lily House staff to include two more Resident Care Providers and a part-time Director of Operations ! We are also seeking per diem care providers, and a temporary care provider for January and February.

We are looking for compassionate individuals with a passion for end-of-life care. If you would like to help us provide the highest quality end-of-life experience possible for our residents, please reach out to us today.

Send a statement of interest and a resume to info@thelilyhouse.org. Please include the position you would like to apply for in the email subject line.

The job description for Resident Care Providers can be found HERE .

For the Director of Operations job description, click HERE .

Community Open House September 23

Wed, 13 Sep 2023 17:00:27 GMT

Community Open House
Saturday, September 23 from 1:00pm-5:00pm

Please join us Saturday, September 23 from 1:00pm to 5:00pm for a community open house as we celebrate the completion of renovations and the opening of the Lily House. Come see our beautiful home, meet our staff, and learn more about our mission to provide compassionate end-of-life comfort and care at no cost to those in need. Please park at Indian Neck Beach at the end of Nauset Rd in Wellfleet and a shuttle bus will take you to the Lily House.

Pickleball Tournament Sept 14, 2023

dawn@thelilyhouse.org — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 22:41:34 GMT

Register Now! Pickleball Tournament to Benefit the Lily House

Click HERE to Register!

A Celebration of Life & Love - Aug 3, 2023

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 15:19:58 GMT

A Celebration of Life & Love

Join us on Thursday, August 3 for " A Celebration of Life & Love, " a benefit for the Lily House in memory of Selina Trieff (1934-2015) and in honor of Robert (Bob) Henry. We will be celebrating the legacy of Selina and Bob as cherished artists, teachers, parents, and community leaders. It is also Bob's 90th birthday!

RSVP Required.

The evening will include remarks about the Lily House, a tribute to Bob and Selina, a live auction featuring "days of care" at the Lily House, and a silent auction of enticing items. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres included.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Lily House to help us provide compassionate end-of-life care and love - at no cost to those in need.

Presented by the Provincetown Arts Society, the event will be held at the Mary Heaton Vorse House at 466 Commercial St in Provincetown.

RSVP

The Role of End-of-Life Doulas

Tue, 04 Apr 2023 15:58:53 GMT

Our culture has long valued the care a doula provides to birthing and postpartum mothers and their families. More recently, the role that an End-of-Life Doulas (EOLD) plays in helping us approach death with mindfulness and compassion is gaining acceptance.

As a community home for living and dying, the Lily House will incorporate a doula model of care — providing holistic support that centers the needs and wishes of our residents and their loved ones to help ensure the highest quality of life and death possible.

Six Guiding Principles of the Doula Model of Care

Non-medical support . Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks.
Non-judgmental support . Doulas do not impose their values or exhibit bias in favor of one method of care.
Family-centered approach . Doulas do not take the place of partners, family members, or other care providers.
Holistic care. Doulas recognize the emotional, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the whole person and provide services with this understanding.
Empowerment. Doulas promote informed decision-making and foster the individual's and and their loved one's agency.
Team members. Doulas are team players with a special role.

Types of Support Doulas Provide

Presence and emotional support. Good listener, witness, calming influence, nurturer, troubleshooter.
Proactive guidance . Anticipating needs and making a plan.
Information-sharing. Objective, evidence-based education and referrals to appropriate community services and providers as needed and desired.
Physical comfort and support . Hands-on techniques, help with positioning, visualization, use of the breath, and so on.
Logistical support. Household help, errand-running, transportation to medical appointments, and so on.

Resources from the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance

Bonnie Catena, Co-chair of the Lily House's Development and Communications Committee, is Connector-in-Chief of Catena Connects. As an advisor, creative strategist, and copywriter for non-profit organizations, Bonnie raises funds to advance missions that are close to her heart. Bonnie was a caregiver for her father, who died of Alzheimer's disease, which inspires her to volunteer her time with the Lily House. For this article, Bonnie adapted information from the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance .

Interview with Executive Director Dawn Walsh

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 22:08:16 GMT

On January 13, 2023, StoryCorps recorded a conversation about death and dying with Provincetown writer and historian Steve Desroches (48) and Dawn Walsh (58),
Co-founder and Executive Director of the Lily House.

LISTEN HERE

StoryCorps is an independent, non-profit organization with a mission to preserve and share humanity’s
stories — connecting people and creating a more compassionate world.

Lily House Adopts Barn Raising Approach to Renovation Project

Sat, 04 Feb 2023 21:21:40 GMT

Thank you to Abraham Storer at the Provincetown Independent for writing a wonderful article that captures the spirit of community and collaboration that is at the heart of the Lily House!

We invite you to support our "community barn raising" efforts by contributing to our TernSOLAR Challenge and helping us raise $30,000 in matching grant funds for solar panels at the Lily House.

Together, we are creating a sustainable and beautiful community home for compassionate end-of-life care.

Lily House Featured in Documentary

Sun, 06 Nov 2022 15:56:29 GMT

Students of Jeffrey J. Bemiss, a filmmaker and Visiting Assistant Professor of Film Studies at Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, chose the Lily House as the subject of a short documentary.

Benjamin A. Craig, one of the students who spent an October 2022 weekend with us in Wellfleet, shared why he and his classmates decided to feature our community home for living and dying for their film project.

"We were interested in exploring different topics from a documentary filmmaker’s perspective. Our interests ranged drastically across many different subjects, but ultimately we were
collectively intrigued by the concept of the “wind phone” or “kaze no denwa” located in
Ōtsuchi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

This led us to research and to see if we could locate other “wind phone” concepts scattered around the United States, the east coast and elsewhere in the world. Like a kind of beacon, the wind phone installation in Provincetown ultimately led us to discover the Lily House, the Positive Death Movement and stories of a Death Doula living out on the cape — Dawn Walsh.

That’s when we decided to research this topic further, and to reach out to
Dawn to see if we could film a documentary."

All of us at the Lily House are deeply grateful to Jeff, Ben, and every Trinity College student involved with this project. We'll be sure to notify our community when the documentary is available to view!

Nothing to Be Afraid Of...Let's Talk About Death

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 12:49:22 GMT

a week of free death education, art, and conversation

October 10-15, 2022

Provincetown Commons

46 Bradford Street, Provincetown, MA

As a community home for living and dying in Wellfleet, MA, the Lily House is committed to providing education and resources to help us make mindful end-of-life choices and accept death and dying as a natural and transformative human experience.

During this week of free, open-to-the-public programming, you can learn about home funerals , building and leaving a legacy , navigating pet loss , using psychedelics at the end of life, medical aid in dying , and more. We also invite you to participate in interactive arts activities , including creating a clay Xolo and contributing to a community ofrenda .

Click this link for more information and to register

Pickleball Tournament 2022

Sun, 04 Sep 2022 13:34:00 GMT

September 22 at the Chequessett Club Wellfleet

Pickling for Lily House - a matter of life and death
Join us for this community-friendly fundraising event hosted by the Chequessett Club .
680 Chequessett Neck Rd, Wellfleet MA 02667

Thursday, September 22, 9am-1pm

$50 per person

Space is limited so REGISTER NOW !
You don't need a partner to register

Open to all levels
Food and drink available for purchase from Snowy Owl and 349 Cafe

Parking available, carpooling encouraged

100% of proceeds go directly to the Lily House!

So No One Has to Worry About Dying Alone

Mon, 15 Aug 2022 18:36:19 GMT

So No One Has to Worry About Dying Alone

The Lily House's Executive Director Dawn Walsh is featured in The Provincetown Independent. In her own words, Dawn shares the life journey that led her to cofound our community home for living and dying.

So No One Has to Worry About Dying Alone

Marnie Crawford Samuelson | August 10, 2022

End-of-Life Care for Your Beloved Pet

Wed, 20 Jul 2022 19:06:08 GMT

The death of a companion animal can be just as traumatic and heartbreaking as losing a beloved human. We enter the relationship knowing our pets have a shorter life expectancy — and perhaps we love them a bit more fiercely because our time with them is limited and precious. By being present with our pets, and knowing the signs of decline, we can ensure that our last moments with them are full of love, grace, and comfort.

Signs that your pet is nearing end-of-life:

Less active, lethargic
Loss of interest in previous activities
Eating and drinking less
Loss of weight and muscle tone
Loss of mobility, limping
Urinating or defecating in the home
Whimpering and flinching with touch
Change of behaviors or personality
Hiding

If your pet has any of these symptoms or been given a terminal diagnosis, it is important to discuss next steps with your veterinarian. Bring a prepared list of questions and ask for all available treatment and comfort options. At-home hospice care with treatment may be a possibility. Medications, modified diets, mobility aids, incontinence pads, shallow food bowls, and altered sleeping arrangements can help sustain your pet’s quality of life.

Although a painful decision, choosing to euthanize a sick or aging pet can be an act of compassion and love. Consider how your pet’s pain and suffering are affecting their quality of life. Ask yourself and your family members the following questions:

Are they having more good days than bad?
Are you able to provide the at-home care and support your pet needs?
If you delay euthanasia, can you still alleviate your pet’s pain?
Why are you considering delaying euthanasia? Are you extending your pet’s life for a legitimate reason, like waiting for a family member to return home to say good-bye, or are you just delaying the inevitable?
What would it be like for your pet and what would you need to do to prepare for a “natural death”? “Letting nature takes its course” may seem preferable, but it does not necessarily mean a painless, peaceful, or less traumatic death — especially if your pet dies when you are not there to provide comfort and care in the last few moments of life.

Feelings of uncertainty, regret, and sadness are normal and a sign of your devotion to your pet. Be gentle with yourself, too.

Preparing for Euthanasia

Even though your companion’s death is inevitable, you still have control over when, where, and how your pet will die. Planning for your pet’s peaceful and loving death is the last gift you can give them. In addition to euthanasia at a clinic, some veterinarians offer in-home euthanasia. This eliminates the trauma and anxiety of bringing your pet to a medical office and allows your pet to die peacefully among family, in their home and with their favorite blanket, toys, and other items. The opportunity to have a home funeral or sit vigil as a family and take time to say goodbye is a priceless opportunity.

For more information on pet loss:

Pet Loss Grief Resource | Best Friends Animal Society

Lily House Board Member Angela Shook is an End-of-Life Doula and Companion Animal Doula. Dana Durrance, M.A., University of Vermont Companion Animal Doula Program, and Barbara Karnes, RN, provided Angela with some of the information in this article.

Birdhouse Auction & Garden Party at Preservation Hall in Wellfleet

Wed, 18 May 2022 19:26:53 GMT

Wellfleet Preservation Hall and the Lily House have joined together to bring back the Birdhouse and Garden Auction!

This year’s auction will take place on Sunday June 26th at Wellfleet Preservation Hall. The preview and silent auction will begin at 10am and the live auction will begin at 11am with mimosas and morning treats!

Go to www.wellfleetpreservationhall.org for more information

Art Gallery in Provincetown Donates Proceeds to the Lily House

Wed, 11 May 2022 17:49:29 GMT

We are thrilled and honored that Four Eleven Gallery in Provincetown, MA is donating 100% of the proceeds to the Lily House from their current art show, A Moment In Time - Eternity; Janice V. Walk and Provincetown Artists of the 1990’s.

Many pieces sold during the opening night on May 6th and additional ones are available for purchase through May 18th. Stop by the gallery or visit their website to view these beautiful works of art.

Thank you Four Eleven Gallery and Janis Sommers (wife of the late Janice Walk) for your immense generosity to the Lily House!

Welcome 3 New Members to the Board of Directors

Sun, 27 Mar 2022 22:54:45 GMT

After a thorough nomination process, we are thrilled to welcome 3 new members to our Board of Directors! Angela Shook, Jack Hudson, and Glenn Loomis all bring nonprofit, fundraising, and development experience, which will be beneficial in this stage of our nonprofit life. And of course it goes without saying that all 3 have a personal connection and passion for our mission -- to provide a community home for the dying! You can read their bios as well as all of our Board members here .

As we welcome Angela, Jack, and Glenn, we also say good bye to co-founder, and board member and former secretary, Hannah Ewart. As Hannah cycles off the Board, she won't be going too far away! Given her current work and experience as a hospice nurse, Hannah has offered to be a resource as we build relationships with hospice providers on the Cape and Islands as well as for many of the intake logistics needed prior to welcoming residents. We express our immense gratitude and many thanks to Hannah for her vision for the Lily House along with Dawn and Paula and for the many gifts and talents she brought to the Board over the past 3 years!

Community Open House - March 4, 2022

Mon, 21 Feb 2022 16:42:03 GMT

The Lily House is hosting its first community Open House!

Friday, March 4th from 3:00-6:00pm

40 Pocahontus Rd, Wellfleet

Food and drink will be provided.

We anticipate opening our doors and welcoming resident this fall. First, we need to complete some house renovations, focusing on accessibility and comfort for our residents, as well as their friends and family. Drop by on March 4th to see the house!

Some of the renovation projects include :

· An accessibility ramp into the house

· Two accessible en suite bathrooms for residents

· Kitchen remodel

· Interior and exterior painting

· Room-controlled heating/cooling system

· Carpet removal and laying wood flooring

· Converting wood fireplace to gas

OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

· Share your building and construction expertise

· Provide building and construction materials

· Volunteer for work days

· Make a donation

We hope you'll come by on March 4th between 3:00 - 6:00 pm!

Local Media Coverage for The Lily House

Fri, 18 Feb 2022 20:39:36 GMT

The Lily House is in the news!

Take a moment to listen to the wonderful conversations and

read the newspaper stories regarding our journey starting in 2019!

Death: It’s Not Optional
A conversation with Lily House Executive Director Dawn Walsh

Peak Time with Jack Peak, Lower Cape TV
February 2, 2022

iHeart Radio, Spectrum

A conversation with Lily House Board Vice-President Jac Augat
December 6, 2021

A Place for Hospice Will Open in Wellfleet
Provincetown Independent, K.C. Myers
December 1, 2021

Donated House Helps End-of-Life Program Fulfill Mission
Provincetown Banner, Tamora Israel
November 17, 2021

Lily House Receives Grant from Massachusetts Association of Realtors
June 7, 2021

Lily House’s End-of-Life Expertise Needed More With Covid-19
Provincetown Banner, Alex Darus
December 20, 2020

End of Life and Hospice Care
WCAI, The Point with Mindy Todd
January 30, 2020

Beyond Hospice Services, Lily House Founders See Need for 24/7 Support for Dying
Provincetown Banner, Alex Darus
December 12, 2019

Creating a Caring Place to Die
Provincetown Independent, K.C. Meyers
December 5, 2019

Talking About Death and Dying

Tue, 07 Sep 2021 18:22:21 GMT

I recently met a new friend—a poet from Queens named Ama. She was in Provincetown on vacation and staying in the condo next to mine. It was her first time in Provincetown. She arrived late in the day just as the light began to soften. Within an hour, we were strolling together along Province Lands Road to Herring Cove Beach. As we walked and talked, we learned we both have an MFA in Creative Writing. She shared that she works at a Trader Joe’s in Manhattan. I told her I am a death doula.

The next day, I lent Ama my beach cruiser. She made me fried chicken. We were fast friends. As I work from home, and Ama was staying next door, we had the opportunity for impromptu visits at several points throughout the days—Ama sharing her vacation adventures, I bearing witness to the transformative powers of the Outer Cape. The way this land—with its light-reflecting waters, wind-swept dunes, and horizon-defying sky—opens your soul, if you let it.

And Ama did. That, however, is Ama’s story to tell. What I can share is that with each passing day, our conversations dove deeper into topics that matter most to us: art, poetry, social justice, politics, friends, family, food, death, and dying. In one of our conversations, we were talking about mortality in general and aging family members in particular. At one point, Ama—clearly curious about my work as a death doula—asked if I ever got tired of talking about death and dying. A question that gave me pause.

Not pause to consider my answer (although I did), but pause at the question itself—whose underlying meaning seemed to be a broader inquiry related to the discomfort and unease with which we, as a cultural at-large, discuss (but mostly don’t discuss) death and dying.

Ama had asked me this question while we were chatting on the front porch while she waited for a couple of friends, Eileen and Megan also in town on vacation, to pick her up for a day at the beach. They pulled up before I had time to answer Ama’s question.

Eileen, a poet who is also a friend of mine, introduced me and Megan to each other. By way of introduction, Eileen shared that I am a death doula and that Megan is a writer whose partner, Angie, died of cancer—and that Megan had written about her experiences being with Angie while she was dying.

Megan and I were standing next to each other. Our eyes instantly met in recognition—in shared understanding that death and dying were welcome topics of discussion. Megan and I immediately began talking about death and the loss of Angie as seamlessly as if we were conversing about the weather. Eileen marveled at the level of ease and comfort of our conversation.

That is my wish. That we open ourselves to conversations about death and dying. About the inevitability of our shared mortality. That we offer comfort and support for each other as we share our fears, worries, and anxieties about death—and also our curiosity, insights, and wonder. That we offer space for each other to share our experiences of loss, to bear witness to our broken hearts, to acknowledge the love that never dies.

Without a doubt, death and dying can be one of the most difficult topics to broach. Most of us have very little experience doing so and have internalized the cultural messaging that death and dying are taboo topics—not for polite conversation, and certainly not in front of children or the elderly. But what I also know without a doubt is that talking about death and dying can bring profound peace of mind, improve end-of-life experiences, and empower us to live more fully in the present. It can even bring joy.

I have hosted many Death Café s—open-ended, participant-led conversations about death and dying. Without fail, every Death Café has ended with joyous laughter and new friends exchanging phone numbers. I liken it to the collective energy of bliss that follows a dance party. In the case of a Death Café, I believe the joy and laughter is the result of tightly-bound energies having been released.

Whether conscious or subconscious, we all move through our lives in an existential relationship to our mortality. When given an opportunity to bring this relationship to the surface and explore our thoughts and feelings with each other, a sense of lightness and relief often follows. As a result, we also often feel less alone.

On Ama’s last night in Provincetown, we had one last impromptu visit. I had just ridden my bicycle home from a day at Herring Cove Beach and went around the back of the condo to park the bike. Ama was in the kitchen of the condo next door cooking supper. She had opened the sliding glass door off the kitchen that adjoins a balcony overlooking the back yard. When she saw me, she stepped out onto the balcony to read me a poem she had written. The poem was about her time on the Outer Cape, the last line read: And next door is Dawn, the death doula.

In turn, I told her that she had unwittingly given me a writing prompt when she asked me if I ever got tired of talking about death and dying. I never get tired of talking about death and dying, I told her—for there is no end to where the conversation will lead, and no limit to the insights that will unfold. Thank you, Ama, for the prompt.

Dawn Walsh | The Lily House

Executive Director

The Lily House News & Events

Lily House Job Openings

Our Lily House Family is Growing: New Job Openings

Community Open House September 23

Community Open House Saturday, September 23 from 1:00pm-5:00pm

Pickleball Tournament Sept 14, 2023

Register Now! Pickleball Tournament to Benefit the Lily House

A Celebration of Life & Love - Aug 3, 2023

A Celebration of Life & Love

The Role of End-of-Life Doulas

Interview with Executive Director Dawn Walsh

On January 13, 2023, StoryCorps recorded a conversation about death and dying with Provincetown writer and historian Steve Desroches (48) and Dawn Walsh (58), Co-founder and Executive Director of the Lily House.

Lily House Adopts Barn Raising Approach to Renovation Project

Lily House Featured in Documentary

Nothing to Be Afraid Of...Let's Talk About Death

Pickleball Tournament 2022

September 22 at the Chequessett Club Wellfleet

So No One Has to Worry About Dying Alone

So No One Has to Worry About Dying Alone

End-of-Life Care for Your Beloved Pet

Birdhouse Auction & Garden Party at Preservation Hall in Wellfleet

Art Gallery in Provincetown Donates Proceeds to the Lily House

Welcome 3 New Members to the Board of Directors

Community Open House - March 4, 2022

Local Media Coverage for The Lily House

Talking About Death and Dying

Community Open House
Saturday, September 23 from 1:00pm-5:00pm

On January 13, 2023, StoryCorps recorded a conversation about death and dying with Provincetown writer and historian Steve Desroches (48) and Dawn Walsh (58),
Co-founder and Executive Director of the Lily House.