Why Do We Need End-of-Life Doulas, if We Have Hospice?

• Hospice's informational/educational time with the patient and family is very limited and focused on key tasks.

• Hospice provides profoundly important guidance, comfort and care, but they cannot provide companioning or caregiving services - beyond occasional brief and limited volunteer time.

  
  

• Hospice cannot address many other patient and family needs, due to resource constraints.
  

• End-of-life doulas are trained to help families and loved ones overcome varied and complex obstacles to peace, comfort and care at home, in partnership with hospice.
  

• Doulas help reinforce hospice care guidance and free families to focus on what is most important at this sacred time.
  

• Doulas can provide or arrange respite care for caregivers and families, allowing them peace of mind knowing that their loved one is not simply with a caregiver, but with a caregiver who understands the unique needs of the very ill and dying.
  

• Doulas can help plan and manage vigils (companionship and care of the dying in the last weeks, days and hours), even sitting vigil ourselves.
  

• Doulas can coordinate numerous family and circle-of-care responsibilities.
  

• Doulas can help struggling family members understand care decisions - facilitating meetings and mediations to help preserve family closeness in high-stress conditions..
  

• Doulas can advocate for clients and families with various agencies (including hospice).
  

• Doulas create space and affirmation for the mysterious and sacred, even creating rituals and ceremonies that bring peace, healing and love into the room and the experience.
  

• Doulas provide a sacred support after death, teaching after-death care and making sure that dignity and respect are honored during removal of body.
  

• Doulas do so much more... our holistic training is founded on an assessment/problem-solving model that means we meet each client and family where they are now and help to meet their unique needs.