Where does the name “End-of-Life Doula” come from?
FAQ:
End-of-Life Doulas have also been called Death Doulas, Death Midwives, End-of-Life Coach, and Death Sitters (Cochran, 2019). I prefer End-of-Life Doula because I want to help my clients with all of their needs at the end of their lives, not just during the actively dying process. A doula is a non-healthcare professional who is a trained companion during significant health and life related experiences such as childbirth, miscarriage, or dying.
Why should we consider using an End-of-Life Doula?
Attending to the dying is part of our good vocations as human beings, community members, and family members. We gather around at the birth of a new life and offer our support to the new parent(s) and new baby as they go through the birthing process. The same support and love can and should be offered during the dying process as an individual transitions from this life to the next. Dr. Cochran (2019) reminds us that through time, we have given this work “away to what have become big businesses and institutions” and that, “having given it away, we robbed ourselves of deep, powerful, and important work that awakens us to life, builds communities, connects families, and guides us on the path of grieving” (p. xv). If your family would like to take this process back from being a distant, clinical, sterile process, an end-of-life doula can help you plan for a home transition that is compassionate, natural, and healing.
A doula is there to be “a light-bearer, a healer of anxiety, a soother, and a stabilizing force for people” during the transition from this life to the next (Cochran, 2019). We are part of the death-positive movement and believe that the dying should be empowered to make decisions for him/herself about their end-of-life experience. We believe that the fear, anxiety, and taboo surrounding death (and the discussion of death) should be eliminated and that each individual should plan for this time in his/her life in order to have the most peaceful passing possible.
We are members of a palliative care team, such as a hospice team, that can provide additional time and services that they cannot provide. We are certified, highly trained, and caring professionals.
If you feel that we can be of service to you, please reach out.
We are here for you.
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Bereavement Support
Feel free to use this resource. If you use this image, the content, or the “Beyond the Grief Cycle: Dr. R’s Tasks of Healing” content, please cite this source: Dr. Paula N. Rodriguez, End of Life Doulas of Kansas, endoflifedoulakansas.com, July 2024.
What Not to Say to a Dying Person
(Remember, hearing is the last thing to go. These things should not be discussed with the dying person or around them). DON’T: Don’t say:
What to do When a Loved One Dies: A Checklist.
Dealing with the death of a loved one can be a difficult, emotional, and overwhelming time. While no one can detail every step that should be taken after a loss, our hope is that the following checklist can serve as a rough guide for some of the tasks that should be attended to in the…
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End-of-Life Doulas of Kansas 