About Everyday Elders

Our Mission

Dignity for every elder. Justice for every caregiver. A sacred call to do better.

Everyday Elders is rooted in an ancient and cross-cultural moral conviction: that how a society treats its most vulnerable members reveals its true character. From the prophetic tradition of Isaiah and Matthew 25 to the teachings of the Qur'an, the Talmud, and Buddhist practice, the call to honor, protect, and stand alongside the aging and those who care for them is not optional—it is the measure by which communities are judged.

Yet in the United States, elders are increasingly treated as problems to be managed and caregivers as invisible labor to be exploited. Structural ageism—reinforced by economic systems that reduce persons to revenue streams and care to a cost center—severs the bonds of mutual recognition that make communities whole. This is not merely a policy failure. It is a moral wound: an estrangement from one another and from the sacred dignity present in every aging life.

Everyday Elders exists to challenge that estrangement and to equip elders, caregivers, and communities with the stories, theology, and organizing tools to build something better. We believe every elder deserves dignity, every caregiver deserves justice, and every community has the power to act. Through our publications, study resources, and advocacy, we work toward a world where aging is honored as a stage of life—not discarded as a burden—and where those who give care are seen, supported, and free.

The Ars Moriendi Project

Ars Moriendi Project is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to reclaiming the ancient art of dying well for modern times. Named for the fifteenth-century texts that guided ordinary people through the art of a good death, the Project carries that tradition forward—expanding it to encompass the full arc of aging, caregiving, and end-of-life with dignity and justice.

Through an interconnected ecosystem of websites, publications, and resources, the Project equips elders, caregivers, faith communities, and advocates with theological grounding, practical tools, and honest conversation. Each initiative serves a distinct audience and purpose—together, they form a unified commitment to honoring the lives of those who have lived long and those who care for them.

Publications & Books

The My Dying Wishes Series by Richard T. Beeman

My Dying Wishes

How I Want to Be Treated as I Go and After I'm Gone

The comprehensive guide to advance care planning—covering medical decision-making, end-of-life preferences, and after-death wishes in plain language.

View on Amazon

My Dying Wishes

A Companion Workbook

Step-by-step worksheets for documenting your health care proxy, treatment preferences, and personal values—for use alongside the main guide.

View on Amazon

After I'm Gone

Essential Information for My Family

A single source for the critical information survivors need—accounts, passwords, documents, beneficiaries, contacts, and wishes—so your family isn't left searching.

View on Amazon