Choices, Care, and Control at the End of Life with Chis Palmer

What if preparing for death is one of the most powerful ways to live?

In this episode of Unlocked, Madelyn Blair sits down with author, filmmaker, and end-of-life advocate Chris Palmer to explore what it truly means to live—and die—well. Drawing from his book Achieving a Good Death, Chris shares why death is not just a medical event, but a deeply human and relational experience.

Together, they discuss how preparing for death—through conversations, intentional living, and thoughtful planning—can actually bring more meaning, clarity, and peace into our lives today.

This is not just a conversation about dying.
It’s a conversation about how to be fully alive.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
Why a “good death” begins long before the final days
The importance of advance directives and difficult conversations
How decluttering (“death cleaning”) can be an act of love
Why legacy letters and ethical wills matter
How living well directly influences how we die
About Chris Palmer

Chris Palmer is an author, speaker, wildlife filmmaker, conservationist, educator, and end-of-life activist. After producing over 300 hours of television and IMAX programming—and earning two Emmy Awards and an Academy Award nomination—he turned his focus to one of life’s most universal yet avoided realities: aging, death, and dying.