We have been executors and prepared advanced directives. We’ve been funeral planners and Celebrants providing support to those considering medical assistance in dying. We have packed more doilies and teacups than you can imagine as people have downsized to smaller homes or long-term care. We practice the 3 Rs of recycling, reusing and reducing which supports our final decision – a natural, green burial. We've also learned that few are prepared to create their end-of-life journey.
Epilog is a Nova Scotia company which aims to reimagine end-of-life care with a full-service range of options for older people transitioning from their family home or preparing for the next chapter in other ways. From organizing their move to facilitating tough family discussions around advance directives to coordinating a green burial and offering grief counselling, our team is here to provide personal service so people can tell their stories.
In our death-phobic society, Epilog’s team of experts normalizes conversations about death. Our skilled team members, including women with certifications as end-of-life doulas, funeral Celebrants, senior move specialists, coaches and more, provide personal support so that each person can make the necessary transitions, create a legacy and have peace of mind. Epilog has a relentless focus on compassionately meeting personal needs as we support practical, emotional, social, spiritual and physical comfort and well-being.
We concentrate our attention on older adults who are facing a move or are planning for their end of life and who want to do as little or as much as possible themselves, with exactly the right help they need, when and where they need it. They might want someone else to “do it all” or they may be DIYers who are reclaiming end-of-life care – we are here to take on the whole task or be a guide and to fill in the gaps along the way. Traditionalists may want to “shop local” and do some things themselves and have personal support as desired, without going to a big company or huge multinational corporation for services. Or maybe economics are driving the decisions – again, a small, local provider, with minimal overhead, may be the solution to facilitating the tough conversations with your family and planning the perfect Celebration of Life. Finally, the environmentally conscious folks, who want to make their last socially responsible decisions with as much care for the earth as they have been doing for decades, need alternatives. Epilog is here for all of these people.
Our focus is on professional services, enabled by excellent technology and tools to make the whole process seamless and easy. Applications to support moving everything in a house that is filled to the rafters, inventorying everything and auctioning off many items, advance directive tools that make creating and sharing critical documents a breeze, creating life stories that can be accessed from a natural burial site, where a grave is located easily by GPS – these are part of our story.
Epilog is a 100% woman owned and operated, collaborative, client-centric, ethical and socially responsible company. Our team values integrity, trust, authenticity, and compassion.
Founder, Transition Specialist, Celebrant, End-of-Life Doula
Passionate about helping seniors find peace of mind and live with joy, Louisa takes a “big picture” view to meet the needs of each person and family. She is an active nature enthusiast and community volunteer and is proud that Epilog has been established as a Community Interest Company.
Louisa has completed training in advance planning and community death care and has earned an end-of-life doula certificate from Douglas College. She is also a Celebrant for funerals and Celebrations of Life and has studied Grief and Bereavement at AST – and she is passionate about natural burial and is the first person in the country to have completed the Green Burial Council Proficiency Certification.
Louisa has been involved in many downsizing and moving projects - she has packed a lot of doilies and silverware and knows the challenges of transition from personal experience! She has completed certification training for Senior Move Specialists through both the National Association of Senior Move Managers and the Certified Relocation and Transition Specialists.
Louisa is a successful entrepreneur and her career has included small business consulting, executive coaching, and serving as an educator and trainer. She is a lifelong learner, currently engaged in doctoral studies, and is an active community volunteer and regional leader within Rotary. Louisa grew up just outside Halifax and currently lives near Sambro where she treasures time with her two spaniels.
Transition Specialist, Celebrant, Artist, End-of-Life Doula
Jeri brings a world of experience and creativity to serving seniors. Unexpected life vexations are a reality she knows well from her support of friends and family who faced loss and setbacks. With an emphasis on fostering growth and actualization to the balance of life, Jeri aids seniors and those who are terminally ill as they adjust to major, life-changing transitions, providing compassionate guidance in their journeys. She specializes in memoir consultation, event planning, and grief and bereavement counselling. She is passionate about bringing more joy to clients’ quality of life with guided imagery, movement, meditation and creativity through symbolic activities including artwork, music and journaling.
Jeri is a Celebrant, and professional facilitator, and she has completed Douglas College’s End-of-Life Doula certificate. She has trained as a palliative service transition supporter and is a Certified Relocation Transition Specialist. Jeri has over thirty years of arts experience, offering non-medical methods and techniques to trigger momentum and positive disposition. She is a world-renowned jazz vocalist and serves as Professor Emeritus of Concordia University. She resides in Halifax and is an arts contributor, consultant and producer of various performance projects.
Senior Transition Specialist
George-Anne has extensive experience working with people to ensure their needs are met. A natural nurturer, she worked in Early Childhood Education for many years - countless children benefited from her exceptional care. Seniors have also enjoyed her attention – trained through the VON as a palliative care volunteer, numerous clients welcomed her visits. She has also studied Senior Move Management.
A master of hospitality, George-Anne owned and operated a catering business and not only arranged gourmet food for small and large events, she also provided delicious and carefully planned meals for families on a regular basis. She is an expert at meeting diverse needs – nutritional and otherwise.
George-Anne has “been there, done that” when it comes to downsizing and moving. She did it for her mother, who lived with George-Anne’s family for many years, and she sorted three generations of treasures and researched finding the best homes for them as she downsized and moved herself.
George-Anne can often be found accompanying friends with their dogs on long walks around Halifax – and she continues to treat those lucky enough to be entertained at her fabulous dinner parties.
Senior Transition Specialist, End-of-Life Doula
Sharon has extensive training in various areas and earned certifications in Counselling, Managing Resources, Emerging Trends in Human Resources, and she has an End-of-Life Doula certificate from Douglas College. She has counselled women in abusive situations as well as those suffering from loss of someone they loved or recovering from addictions. As a Toastmaster, and through her career as a corporate people leader, Sharon honed her public speaking skills and her talents in assisting professionals to communicate effectively and reach their potential. She has worked in recruitment, where she hired and coached hundreds of people as well as provided both one on one and group counselling.
Sharon’s volunteer experience helping seniors to “pack up” estates and homes prepared her to be a Senior Transition Specialist. She is particularly effective with this because of her exceptional communication skills and her ability to understand others while not making judgements.
Sharon, known to be kind, open minded and empathic, can be seen walking from one end of the city to the other. She is a reading and live music enthusiast, and treasures time with her daughters and adored grandson.
Senior Transition Specialist, End-of-Life Doula
Trudy has supported seniors for most of her life – with various family members with chronic illnesses, and living in a home with three generations, she learned to offer personal care as a child. She was primary caregiver and managed financial needs for her parents. As a certified end-of-life doula from Douglas College, she has supported others as well. She earned certifications in Community Deathcare and Senior Move Specialist.
Trudy is a pioneer – the first female automotive technician in Nova Scotia, her knowledge and exceptional client relationship skills enabled a successful career in luxury vehicle sales. She is also the only female Porsche Performance Driving instructor in the province.
Trudy is an antique enthusiast with extensive knowledge of houses and renovation. A former award-winning real estate agent, her experience is ideal for supporting living transitions. Through her various career directions, Trudy has completed innumerable training courses on product knowledge, human behaviour, psychology, customer care and more – and thus she is very talented in assessing individual needs and providing exemplary client care.
An avid gardener, Trudy is happy playing in the dirt – and enjoying her three grandchildren
Epilog is proud to be a Community Interest Company. That means we have chosen to register our company as an organization that is mandated to re-invest 60% of our profits back into local communities, with the aim of reducing barriers to sustainable economic development.
Losing someone you loved is never easy. Epilog is here to help guide you and your family through this difficult time.