What is a Mini Mobile Suite?
Mini Mobile Suite
I was first introduced to the idea of At Home Death Care in at the Conscious Dying Institute in 2019. It made sense that the Caring Circle may want to shelter and care for their loved one's body. With the prevalence of hospice and with more and more people choosing to die at home, why not extend that care a few more hours or a few more days in the home?
Most people don't know that At Home Death Care is a legal option and they are unsure how they will feel about having their loved one's body in the home after death.
To mitigate these concerns, I imagined a way that family and friends could offer this final act of loving service on their property but not in the home. I modified an eight by ten foot, miniature RV into a Mini Mobile Suite for this purpose.
I transport the Mini Mobile Suite onto client's private property and set it up. If the Caring Circle would like the help, I can guide and assist them in At Home Death Care as a part of a Home Death Vigil. This small, private space offers clients a way to care for their loved one at home for a few hours or a few days. The Caring Circle gets to choose the amount of time that's right for them*.
* If at any time the Caring Circle feels uncomfortable, we are here to help. Our partner, Honor Cremations is available to transport the body to their private holding facility awaiting the disposition paperwork if the client prefers.
Most people don't know that At Home Death Care is a legal option and they are unsure how they will feel about having their loved one's body in the home after death.
To mitigate these concerns, I imagined a way that family and friends could offer this final act of loving service on their property but not in the home. I modified an eight by ten foot, miniature RV into a Mini Mobile Suite for this purpose.
I transport the Mini Mobile Suite onto client's private property and set it up. If the Caring Circle would like the help, I can guide and assist them in At Home Death Care as a part of a Home Death Vigil. This small, private space offers clients a way to care for their loved one at home for a few hours or a few days. The Caring Circle gets to choose the amount of time that's right for them*.
* If at any time the Caring Circle feels uncomfortable, we are here to help. Our partner, Honor Cremations is available to transport the body to their private holding facility awaiting the disposition paperwork if the client prefers.
What are some potential uses for the Mini Mobile Suite (MMS)?
- As a private place for Medical Aid in Dying. The MMS can be transported to a specific location (private property) that is special and significant to the client who chooses MAID to mitigate prolonged suffering. They choose the last sights, sounds, smells, and tastes they want to experience.
- As a private, quiet neutral zone. The MMS can be set up on a client's property. It is very important that the property be level, and strictly out of sight from onlookers and the general public. It is available if or when the family feels unsure about keeping their loved one's body inside the home for the time that it takes to obtain the disposition paperwork which is usually 3-5 business days. The MMS can be set up on someone else’s private property with prior written approval from the property owner.
- As a temporary honoring, holding space. The MMS provides a place to keep a loved one nearby under the family's care and protection awaiting final disposition.
- As a preparation space. The MMS provides a private place to bathe and dress or shroud the body.
- As a visitation space. The MMS provides a private place to hold an intimate family led visitation event, experience or ceremony.
- As a mode of transportation. The MMS provides a safe way to transport the body for cremation or burial. The MMS allows a family to move the body in and out on their own at the crematorium or cemetery.
- As a mobile demonstration and educational studio.
See the ongoing development of the Mini Mobile Suite here.