Death and Dying in the Digital Age

Niki Weiss
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They say we die twice: once when we take our last breath and again when our name is spoken for the final time. But in today's world, there's a third passing to consider - our digital death. Welcome to Death and Dying in the Digital Age, a podcast that explores the uncharted territory of our online afterlife. Join host Niki Weiss each week as she navigates the complexities of end-of-life planning, from safeguarding your individual legacy to ensuring your loved ones can access your important digital assets. Dive into the four pillars of comprehensive death planning - Legal, Financial, Physical, and Digital - and you’ll see that by addressing these crucial aspects, you'll gain peace of mind knowing that every facet of your life and legacy is accounted for. Be sure to check out our resources on digitallegacypodcast.com and subscribe today because, in the 21st century, even your online self needs an exit strategy.

  1. 1D AGO

    The Prison Hospice Project: Training Inmates for End-of-Life Care | Fernando Murillo

    What happens when the "worst thing you’ve ever done" is the only way society defines you, even as you face your final breath? In this moving episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist, sits down with Fernando Murillo, a lead trainer for the Humane Prison Hospice Project. Fernando shares his remarkable journey from being incarcerated at age 16 to serving as a peer caregiver in California’s prison hospice system for over five years. They explore the "carceral end-of-life crisis," where one in five incarcerated people in the  You’ll discover: The reality of the only licensed hospice in the California prison system and how it operates in the face of restrictive carceral laws. Fernando’s philosophy on why kindness and trust are the most valuable assets in the end-of-life journey. How incarcerated caregivers act as scribes and witnesses to the legacies of those society has "swept under the carpet". Why the Humane Prison Hospice Project provides more extensive end-of-life training than many traditional medical schools. The staggering data showing how hospice work fundamentally rehabilitates those providing the care. The new infrastructure being built to provide a dignified "destination" for cancer patients released from prison to die in the community. Because if we can foster compassion and dignity in the most restrictive settings on earth, there is no excuse for not doing it in our own communities.

  2. 3D AGO

    One QR Code, 500+ Photos The New Tech You Need for Legacy | Cameron Labrecque

    What happens when a lifetime of digital memories—thousands of photos, videos, and stories—is scattered across social media and hidden in locked phones? In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist, sits down with Cameron Labrecque, the 24-year-old CEO of Rememery. They discuss how a single Christmas gift (a cardinal snow globe) sparked a mission to fix the "problem of preservation" and how technology can turn a static obituary into a living, interactive narrative of a life well-lived. You’ll discover: Why cardinals are the universal medium for connecting with lost loved ones and how they inspired the Rememery brand. How to move from a physical box of photos to a digital legacy site with over 500+ memories accessible to your entire family. How a simple 2x2 QR code on a headstone can turn a cemetery visit into an experiential journey through a person’s life. How families can curate and protect a loved one’s story by approving which photos and videos are made public. Why you should think twice before using AI to "recreate" a deceased loved one’s likeness without their prior terms-and-conditions consent. Why you should never be mad at the friend who is always taking pictures—you’ll be thanking them in 10 years. Because your legacy isn't just about being remembered—it's about how your story is told for the next 100 years

  3. FEB 10

    Why Americans Are Going Abroad for Better Care | Maryam Greenidge

    What happens when you can no longer afford to age in place in the United States? For many Americans, a single illness can become a "financial death sentence," with health insurance quotes reaching $4,000 a month for healthy individuals. In this episode of the Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss sits down with attorney Maryam Greenidge, author of Chaos to Clarity, to discuss a radical but increasingly popular estate planning strategy: Relocating abroad for healthcare. Maryam shares her personal journey of navigating her mother's debilitating illness and why she now helps Americans reestablish residency in countries like Colombia, Mexico, and Italy to access high-quality, affordable care. You’ll discover: Why basic healthcare in the US has become a "commodity played on the stock market" while international options remain affordable. The truth about the growing number of American seniors and veterans moving abroad for medical security. How you can qualify for residency in countries like Colombia with an income of just $900 USD per month. The logistics of receiving your US benefits and Medicare while living overseas. Why facilities in the US are closing due to mismanagement and why "Medical Tourism" is no longer just for the elite. How to lay the seeds for your 80s and 90s so you can age with dignity without being a burden to your children. Because having a "Final Playbook" means knowing all your options—even the ones that take you across the globe.

  4. FEB 3

    The 3 Digital Rights You Didn't Know You Had | Malvika Jethmalani

    Does your employment contract allow your boss to create an AI clone of you that keeps working after you quit—or even after you die? In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss sits down with HR executive and AI governance expert Malvika Jethmalani to uncover the ethical minefield of "Digital Twins" in the workplace. They discuss the terrifying legal gaps regarding who owns your likeness, the rise of "Grief Bots," and why HR departments are woefully unprepared for the age of synthetic employees. You’ll discover: Why 70% of future employment contracts will demand rights to your digital persona. If your AI avatar gives a presentation while you sleep (or after you die), do you get paid twice?. Identity Governance vs. Access Governance The three traits (Creative Thinking, Critical Thinking, Social Authenticity) that AI simply cannot replicate. The ethical nightmare of "Grief Bots" selling luggage or drifting into behavior your loved one never would have consented to. The specific questions you need to ask a potential employer about how they train their models on your data. Because reading the fine print isn't just about salary anymore—it's about retaining the rights to your own soul.

  5. JAN 27

    Will AI Decide When You Die? The Ethics of "Algorithmic Healthcare" | Brian M. Green

    What happens when your doctor relies on an AI to listen to you—or worse, when an algorithm decides if you are "economically viable" enough for life support? In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist, sits down with Brian M. Green, an expert in AI governance and responsibility, to unpack the "empathy trap" of artificial intelligence and why the healthcare industry is deploying technology faster than it can create the ethics to control it. You’ll discover: Why patients are increasingly feeling gaslighted by doctors and turning to AI chatbots for the "mirroring" empathy they crave The rise of "Ambient Listening" in exam rooms and why your doctor is recording you to save the hospital money, not to improve your care Why AI development is currently a "luxury plane without landing gear"—moving fast with zero safety regulations The terrifying potential for AI to make autonomous economic decisions regarding organ transplants and pulling the plug on life support Why we cannot wait for government regulation and need "governance first" frameworks immediately The critical need for "AI Literacy" so you stop treating chatbots as spiritual guides or trained clinicians Because AI can simulate compassion, but it can never witness your suffering, and it should never hold the power to decide your fate.

  6. JAN 20

    How To Build A Care Team When You Have No Family Help | Dr Ashley Blackington

    What happens when the burden of caregiving falls entirely on one person—and that person breaks? In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist and Final Playbook coach, sits down with Dr. Ashley Blackington, Occupational Therapist and founder of Dovetail, to unpack the "default caregiver" trap and why the modern family structure is buckling under the pressure of aging loved ones. You’ll discover: Why the healthcare system naturally funnels responsibility to one person (usually the eldest daughter) and how to "open the funnel" back up The difference between living longer and "dying longer"—and what that means for your family's future Why caregivers often suffer physical injury or illness before the person they are caring for Crucial advice for "solo agers" on getting on waitlists and updating emergency contacts before a crisis hits How to use technology like Dovetail to create "layers of care" rather than relying on a chaotic 2-inch binder Because you can’t care for someone else if the system is designed to break you first.

  7. JAN 13

    How Tech is Changing the Way We Grieve | Janet Turkula & Ryan Oliveira

    What happens to your family’s financial stability and emotional well-being when a sudden death leaves them with a $15,000 bill and no way to ask for help? In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist and Final Playbook coach, sits down with Janet Turkula and Ryan Oliveira from Give Willow to unpack the broken system of funeral support. They discuss why sending casseroles and flowers often misses the mark, and how a revolutionary new "funeral registry" platform is allowing communities to offer meaningful financial and practical aid during life's most vulnerable moments. You’ll discover: The traumatic reality of navigating sudden loss at a young age without financial resources or a will Why we have registries for weddings and babies, but the death care industry has lagged behind The "sticker shock" of funeral planning (and why a celebration of life might cost $15,000) How to overcome the stigma of asking for financial support without feeling "icky" How pre-planning a registry can be a final gift to your family, giving them clarity on exactly what you want Because supporting a grieving family shouldn't mean guessing what they need. It’s about providing the right help, at the right time, with dignity and ease.

  8. JAN 6

    What Modern Death Preparation Really Looks Like | Melissa Meadow

    What if the way we’ve been taught to “handle” death is actually keeping us disconnected from the very thing we need most: closure, participation, and meaning? In this episode of The Digital Legacy Podcast, host Niki Weiss, Digital Thanatologist and Final Playbook coach, sits down with Melissa, “The Modern Mortician”, a death-care educator about what modern end-of-life care can look like when families are empowered with real options. You’ll learn: Why embalming became standard in the U.S. and how capitalism shaped modern funeral practices What a green burial really is (and what participation can look like at the graveside) How death doulas can support families from hospice planning to bedside vigil and decision-making Why direct cremation without a memorial can complicate grief—and what families can do instead How to protect your wishes legally (including pre-planning, pre-funding, and using an appointed agent when needed) The real cost ranges of traditional burial, green burial, and cremation—and what drives price differences If you’ve ever felt unsure, overwhelmed, or pressured by the funeral industry, this conversation will remind you: you have choices and talking about death won’t kill you.

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About

They say we die twice: once when we take our last breath and again when our name is spoken for the final time. But in today's world, there's a third passing to consider - our digital death. Welcome to Death and Dying in the Digital Age, a podcast that explores the uncharted territory of our online afterlife. Join host Niki Weiss each week as she navigates the complexities of end-of-life planning, from safeguarding your individual legacy to ensuring your loved ones can access your important digital assets. Dive into the four pillars of comprehensive death planning - Legal, Financial, Physical, and Digital - and you’ll see that by addressing these crucial aspects, you'll gain peace of mind knowing that every facet of your life and legacy is accounted for. Be sure to check out our resources on digitallegacypodcast.com and subscribe today because, in the 21st century, even your online self needs an exit strategy.

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