What is a End-of-Life Care Doula?  An End-of-Life Doula is a person who guides individuals and their families through the dying process by way of presence, support, advocacy, education, and companionship. Just as birth doulas support mothers birthing a new life, a death doula supports individuals leaving this life into the next.

Why would I need an End-of-Life Doula?  We provide a calming and reassuring presence for our clients and families. We carry practical knowledge of the death process, and offer a compassionate resource for families who may be overwhelmed and grieving at the impending death of their loved one. There are a variety of services available to assist in the transition of dying. With our background and experience we provide a grounding, reliable, knowledgeable and comforting presence during a most emotional time.

How are we different from what hospice?  We highly recommend every individual and family facing a terminal illness and end of life, to call their local hospice as soon as possible. Though our doula services do not replace hospice's medical team of nursing and physician care, we compliment hospice teams seamlessly. We offer more time, more personalized attention, more continuity at bedside, more advocacy, and more availability beyond what hospice is normally able to provide due to Medicare guidelines. Our extensive training exceeds what hospice volunteer programs provide as each of us have faced in depth, our fears and emotions around death. We are trained and practiced to be with intense and difficult emotions. Our full time presence and companionship at Vigil and at death, our advocacy in hospitals or at home, our coaching to customize end of life care plans for spiritual, physical, practical and life review needs, and most of all, our consistent relationships with our clients are not a service offered anywhere else.

When should I contact an End-of-Life Doula?  We can be brought in at any time during the end of life process. The sooner the doula can enter into the process, the more time can be spent getting to know the individual and family, creating quality care plans, prioritizing end of life needs, and creating sacred space and meaning for the individual and family.

More Questions? Please Contact us to let us know!