What Are They? How Do They Help?

A death doula, also known as an end-of-life doula, provides non-medical, holistic support to individuals and their families during the dying process. They offer emotional, spiritual, and practical assistance, focusing on helping individuals have a peaceful and meaningful transition. Unlike hospice or palliative care, which focus on medical needs, death doulas concentrate on the person's wishes, preferences, and overall well-being as they approach death.

1. Facilitating End-of-Life Planning:
   Death doulas help individuals articulate their wishes for their final days, including their preferred environment, rituals, and company. They can assist with advance care planning, such as creating living wills or naming healthcare proxies. They help navigate the complexities of medical options and advocate for the individual's choices. 

2. Providing Emotional and Spiritual Support:
   Death doulas offer a compassionate presence and a safe space for individuals to express their fears, anxieties, and hopes. They can facilitate conversations about death and dying, helping individuals and families process emotions and find meaning. They may incorporate spiritual or religious practices into the support they provide, based on the individual's beliefs. 

3. Practical Assistance and Care Coordination:
   Death doulas can help with practical tasks, such as organizing a dying person's space, coordinating visits, and providing respite for caregivers. They may assist with legacy projects, like creating memory books or writing letters to loved ones. They can help with funeral planning and post-death rituals. 

4. Supporting Families and Loved Ones:
   Death doulas provide support and guidance to family members, helping them navigate the emotional and practical challenges of caring for a dying loved one. They can offer grief support before, during, and after the death. They can help families understand the dying process and cope with their own emotions. 

5. Advocacy and Education:
   Death doulas advocate for the individual's wishes and preferences, ensuring they are honored by healthcare providers and others. They can educate individuals and families about end-of-life options and resources. They may also educate healthcare professionals about the role of death doulas and the benefits of their support. In essence, death doulas act as companions and guides, helping individuals and their families navigate the final chapter of life with dignity, compassion, and peace, according to CaringInfo and the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA). 

Curtis Robertson Jr. Death Doula

A retired registered nurse with some palliative care experience, Curtis was a hospice volunteer briefly at the VA. He has been bedside in the hospital with clients who are at the end of life, supported by family and their loved one’s transition.

A mindfulness practitioner in the Plum Village tradition of Thích Nhất Hạnh, Curtis is a Certified Mindfulness Teacher, trained by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. Trained as an End-of-Life doula, by Alua Arthur’s “Going With Grace” program. 

Being a musician, Curtis can also play peaceful guitar by the bedside for patients. As an End-of-Life doula, he can provide resources and support for not only the patient, but their family and friends.