End-of-Life Care
End-of-Life Care
What are some reasons you might seek the services of a death doula?
-
To help your family learn more about the stages of dying and to support you emotionally and spiritually
-
To provide you with an impartial presence, a person not involved in family wounds or grievances
-
To supplement the services of hospice
As a Certified Death Doula educated at the University of Vermont Larner Medical School, I bring my years of training and hospice experience to assist you and your family. Dying can be a long process with many stages, both for the dying person and their loved ones. As a death doula, I can help with multiple parts of the end-of-life process. My work is often broken down into three phases:
-
Planning: As death approaches, I can help the dying person find meaning in their lives and plan for their death.
- Dying: I can help ensure that the person is comfortable and that their wishes are being carried out.
-
Grieving: I can help in the immediate time after death as family members begin to process grief. I can also help carry out logistical needs.
As a death doula, my primary goal is to support the dying person’s needs. This may include:
-
Talking with the person about dying and helping them identify their wishes
-
Helping the dying person plan for what they want after their death, such as what they want to be done with their remains or what type of memorial service they want
-
Explaining how dying may feel and what symptoms they may experience
-
Helping the dying person find meaning in their life and leave a legacy, such as by sharing memories, writing down stories, or writing letters
-
Designing the physical space for death, including decorations, sounds, and smells
-
Encouraging loved ones to provide touch and affection to the dying person
-
Providing spiritual support or leading rituals
Sometimes, the best thing I can do for the dying person is to help the family members. As a death doula, I can provide needed support for loved ones. This may include:
-
Organizing the physical space for the dying person
-
Providing logistical support
-
Taking over caregiver duties to let other caregivers rest
-
Helping plan for body disposition or memorial services
-
Helping loved ones understand the signs of death and what symptoms the person may be experiencing
-
Supporting loved ones in providing love and affection to the dying person
-
Helping wash and dress the deceased
-
Providing spiritual support
-
Helping loved ones process grief and loss
-
Helping loved ones identify how to continue the legacy of the dying person
My office is in Exeter, New Hampshire and I work within all the Seacoast area towns including Portsmouth, Rochester, Rye, Durham, and Hampton. Teleconference (video meetings) are also an option. Please see my About page for more information, or feel free to contact me with any questions.
