Page 5 - News On 7 June 2021 Updated

END OF LIFE DOULAS ENHANCE THE END-OF-LIFE CARE EXPERIENCE
Written by Olga Nikolajev

During the month of May we highlight the work of palliative care and celebrate those that give of themselves to be part of an end-of-
life care team providing support, comfort and guidance. The end-of-life care team may include a palliative care physician, a pain and
symptom management nurse, hospice volunteers, a social worker, chaplain, personal support worker AND an end-of-life doula. You
may be like many others, who have not heard of end-of-life doulas or death doulas or thanadoulas as they are sometimes called.

So what is an end of life doula? Like a birth doula, an end-of-life doula provides emotional, physical, practical and spiritual support
during a stressful time but unlike the birth doula, an end-of-life doula provides support at the end of life. End of life doulas are part
of a social movement who are supporting communities to enhance their death literacy, defined as “a set of knowledge and skills to
understand and act upon end of life and death care options.” End of life doulas often provide death and bereavement education,
assist in resource gathering and companioning through the end-of-life experience.

There are end of life doulas across the world who are serving in their own communities to
provide support and care with the intent to enhance the quality of life for both the person dying
and those that care for them. End of life doulas do not replace any member of the care team but
rather enhance the end-of-life experience for the person dying and their caregivers, family and
friends, including members of the care team. End of life doulas have the potential to enhance the
end-of-life care team by facilitating advance care planning conversations, capturing a person’s
wishes and educating the family about options and choices for their end-of-life experience,
which may include post death care, creating legacy projects and supporting life reviews.
Currently end of life doulas are not part of our Canadian health care system but many of those
that work in healthcare have received the training and have the skills to provide support to their
patients using a “doula way.” End of life doulas have been highlighted in the news and the public is
curious to know and learn more illustrated by the interest in end-of-life doula training.

Douglas College End of Life Doula course is designed for those that are or will be called the serve the dying and the bereaved. The
course is offered across Canada and aims to provide a deeper understanding of the questions and issues that arise in end-of-life care,
planning and preparing. The course is open to anyone and is currently offered on-line. While there are a number of end-of-life
doula/death doula/thanadoula training opportunities across the world, it is important that both the end-of-life doula and their
clients have a good understanding of the role, scope of practice, limitations and ethical responsibilities, especially as it pertains to the
legal frameworks that exist and impact health care and after death care decisions. As the demand for high quality end of life care
increases may end of life doulas enhance the care team so that everyone can be educated and empowered through their end-of-life
experience.

Olga Nikolajev is an End-of-Life Nurse Educator at www.dyingmatters.ca