A Death Doula or End of Life Midwife is typically a non-medical person trained to care for someone at the end of life in a holistic (physically, emotionally and spiritually) manner. Death Doulas or End of Life Midwives are also sometimes referred to as: End of Life Coaches, Transition Guides, End of Life Guides, Soul Midwives, Death Coaches, Doulas for the Dying, End of Life Doulas, and/or Death Midwives.
Both individuals, families and loved ones can use the services of a Death Doula or End of Life Midwife. Regardless of the specific reason, a death doula can provide the comforting companionship of presence that some individuals require when facing the inevitable, as well as families who need support when facing the death of a loved one, as well as serve as a trusted resource/facilitator.
Whether in the family's home, hospice, hospital or other environment, a death doula often provides the gift of continuity across the pan-death spectrum, i.e., before, during and after a death occurs, in the realm of emotional, physical and psychological support. This may include performing various basic tasks usually conducted by a home caregiver or family member; staying with the dying individual while family members are unavailable; advocating and facilitating supportive communication and/or conversations between all parties; assisting in the creation of meaningful goodbyes during the remaining hours of life; serving as a resource for necessary paperwork and planning, funeral/interment planning and estate settlement; etc
No one wants to die alone, and no one should. Death vigils have been held for centuries. Historically, in the last hours of life, when a person was dying, the family, friends, and clergymen would gather around the person to offer their presence and support to the patient as well as to one another. In our modern times, some individuals may have few or even no family members nearby to keep "vigil". Sometimes there are friends and family around, however they may be overwhelmed and also need support "at the End". This gap can be filled by the Midwife for End of Life.
Pertinent to California, and signed in to effect in 2015 by Governor Brown. The End of Life Option Act (ELOA) allows terminally ill adults to request and receive a prescription for medications that they may choose to take to bring about a peaceful death.
Active dying is considered the final phase of the dying process. While the pre-active stage can last for several weeks, the "active stage" of dying most typically takes place over three days.
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