Frequently Asked Questions

An End of Life Doula provides non-medical support and comfort to the dying person and their family, which may include education and guidance along with emotional, spiritual and practical support.

If you have ever been a caregiver for someone who is terminally ill, you know it can be physically and mentally exhausting. Knowing exactly what to do and when to do it can be difficult to determine. You may question if you are focused on the right things or doing the right things for your loved one. An End of Life Doula can walk with you through this difficult journey by providing educational and community resources, compassionate and empathetic listening, respite sitting with your loved one so you can take a break, and advanced planning, so each step doesn’t feel like a crisis. EOLDs also provide support to the terminally ill by engaging in meaningful conversations about their life, helping them create legacy projects that will leave a lasting impact and empowering them to plan for various stages in their illness so it can unfold the way they choose and find peace and joy in living life to the fullest until their very last breath. 

Ideally, at the beginning of a terminal illness. This could be when a person is experiencing hospitalizations frequently, but not yet on hospice. They could be receiving palliative care – which is comfort care with the option of seeking treatment or when they begin to receive hospice care. The sooner you contact the EOLD the better, so the ill person is feeling well enough to engage in advanced planning and able to advocate for their specific wants and needs and play an active role in how they would like the dying process to go. However, an EOLD can be engaged at any stage of illness and will tailor services based on the individual needs of the terminally ill person and their family.

EOLD are not regulated and there is no official license granted by any government entity. However, EOLDs can receive a certificate from various educational institutions. It is not uncommon for EOLDs to have a background in hospice as a nurse, volunteer or volunteer coordinator. In addition, many EOLDs have had a personal experience with death and have found the profession a way of helping those who are ill and their families find peace and comfort at end of life.