Hope At Last – Blog
Death as a Companion
Most people throughout history and even now across the world have always had death as a companion with disease and/or starvation right around the corner. Recently, while at a cemetery with gravestones from the 1700’s and 1800’s, it was interesting to note that many of the gravestones had not only how many years the person lived but also how many months and days…. “Sam Smith 25 years, 3 months, 11 days”. Perhaps indicating their realization of the daily possibility of death.
Death Hidden in the Shadows
Death is always here but as a culture we have pushed it behind closed doors. We don’t talk a lot or openly about death in our culture. It’s been hidden in the shadows. Since the beginning of the 1900’s, the dying process, for the most part in the US, has been pushed to hospitals and…
Peace, Comfort, Infused With Hope
My role as an end-of-life doula involves bringing the subject of death out of the shadows, normalizing it as part of life. How do we make it ok to talk about, to face our own mortality, to come to terms with death, to come to terms with the unknown? An EOL doula initiates and has…
Stage Three: Post-Vigil
EOL doula services are divided into 3 sections: The third and and last phase in the post-vigil phase. I follow any post-death rituals that were planned including washing the body, applying essential oils, or placing flowers on the body. The EOL doula also facilitates what the individual requested for their body such as cremation vs….
Stage Two: The Vigil
EOL doula services are divided into 3 sections: The second phase is the vigil. The vigil is the time when a client is “actively dying” – unable to move or speak or make their needs known. The phase can last anywhere from a few hours to a few days or up to a week. During…
Stage One: Planning and Preparation
EOL doula services are divided into 3 sections: The first is the pre-vigil phase where the planning and preparation is completed in partnership with the client. During this time, we openly discuss death, talk about what dying looks like, help the individual find meaning in their life, develop a vigil plan, and assist the client…
What Does an EOL Doula Offer?
An EOL doula offers a variety of services, and the client chooses those that best fits their needs. They can pick and choose the services most important to them. Each working relationship is individualized. Put another way, “This is your book. You get to write the story.” When a client is comfortable and feels connected…
“We are all just walking each other home”
One of my goals as an end-of-life doula is to make the client as comfortable as possible with death by bringing the subject out into the open and discussing it. Some questions that guide my approach: “We are all just walking each other home” Ram Dass How do I take the fear out of death? …
Why I Became An End-Of-Life Doula
I love being a Hospice nurse and I love providing support to my patients. As I would make my visits, though, I would find myself wanting to spend more time with each one of them. To get to know each one better – go deeper into their lives and especially, find out their thoughts regarding death….