Whether choosing a doula for yourself or for someone you love, you have an opportunity to customize the final days of life. A doula can:
- Provide support and relief for the caregivers
- Assist with comfort care and ambiance
- Facilitate meaningful conversations
- Offer a safe space for self-expression
- Tidy up the living space
- Manage who is in the room and when
- Collaborate with funeral or memorial planning
What Makes a Good End-of-Life Doula?
Look for a doula who has examined personal feelings about these transitions, but defers to the needs, wishes, and cultural experiences of the person and family members being assisted. Make sure to discuss boundries and differences in philosophy at the outset.
Hospital employees provide essential services and strive to offer compassionate and life-giving care. They may refer patients to hospice when the remaining medical interventions are understood to only provide comfort or to maintain life for a limited time. In that case, a qualified hospice worker will provide medical and compassionate care under the direction of an attending physician. A doula may be hired to provide a more customized experience while attending to the emotional, spiritual, and practical needs of the patient and family.
Schedule a 20-minute consultation at not charge: nana.sledzieski@copperfernstudio.com
My Responsibilities
- My role is to help you make informed decisions–not to make decisions for you. To do this, I educate myself through training and research your questions using skills honed as an editor and qualitative researcher.
- I acknowledge that there is no specific training to serve as a doula. But I am completing practioner training that will lead to certification by the National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA). I also have volunteer experience at a nonprofit hospice where I assisted with tasks of daily living and emotional support.
- After years of running a preschool, I understand the importance of asking before hugging or holding. When touch is necessary, such as when assisting with sitting, rolling over, or cleaning, I will explain my plans.
- I am not permitted to engage in any activity that leads to euthenasia or self-euthenasia.
End-of-Life Philosophies
- I believe that any fear about death is worth examining. Approaching death thoughtfully, given the opportunity, may even lead to a more peaceful passage.
- Ambiance is personal. People have different preferences and cultural expectations about lighting, the temperature of the room, the level of conversation, music, who can be present and for how long, and so on. I will share my own style and preferences with you in advance, as part of two-way communication, so you can let me know what works for you.
- Prayer is very personal. I recognize that spirituality varies globally and throughout this country. Most practices have the common theme of honoring God, by many names. I will pray with you only if asked, and may pray silently on your behalf.
- Hospitals are essential, but the choice of when and if to return for care belongs to the person dying. We will explore your preferences at the start of the relationship. I will also work to understand and honor your preferences in real-time.
- Death is a transition, not an ending.
Schedule a 20-minute consultation at not charge: nana.sledzieski@copperfernstudio.com