What you need to know...

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  End-of-Life Doulas (EOLD) also known as death doulas, transition coaches and end-of-of life educators are non-medical companions to the dying and their families.  End-of-Life Doulas do not take the place of hospice or palliative care workers, instead they complement the services a dying person and their family may be receiving.  EOLD’s provide a wide range of holistic services including physical, emotional, spiritual, and practical support. End-Of-Life Doulas may work with families prior to any illness or after a diagnosis through the dying process and then bereavement.

Doulas recognize dying as a part of the normal process of living. They initiate gentle and caring conversations about the dying process to plan for a positive death. They focus on quality of life for individuals and their family caregivers at end-of-life and strive to create healing environments - providing emotional and spiritual support for all.  They support family and team members in self-care to reduce burnout and emotional fatigue and provide education on the stages of the dying process. 

*EOLD's are private pay and not subject to external time/scheduling constraints.

 Hospice Care focuses on quality of life when a cure is no longer possible, or the burdens of treatment outweigh the benefits. Individuals do not receive curative treatment for their specific illness, but will receive medicine that enhances quality of life, such as treatment for high blood pressure or anxiety.  Pain mangement is a primary goal of hospice care.  Hospice can be provided if a person’s life expectancy is six months or less if the disease runs its natural course.  In some instances, an individual’s prognosis improves to the point that they are no longer within the six-month life expectancy. In these situations, the person may receive palliative care until such a time they are again eligible for hospice.  

Hospice teams may include a hospice physician, nurse, hospice aide, social worker, chaplain, volunteer and bereavement specialist. 

*Due to regulation and insurance limitations, hospice care no longer provides 24/7 care and most direct, daily care of the individual is provided by the family or in-home care giver.  Data shows that in almost 80% of instances, a member of the hospice team is not present at time of death.

  Palliative Care works together with the primary treatment being received by an individual who is living with a serious illness.  This type of care focuses on the pain, symptoms, and stress of serious illness in addition to curative care modalities.  Palliative care is not hospice care, and it does not replace the patient’s primary treatment.  It is not time limited, allowing individuals who are ‘upstream’ of a 6-month or less terminal prognosis to receive services aligned with palliative care principles. Additionally, individuals who qualify for hospice service, and who are not emotionally ready to elect hospice care could benefit from these services. 

  Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) is a legal medical practice that allows a mentally capable, terminally ill adult with a prognosis of six months or less to live, to request a prescription for medication that allows them to die peacefully in their sleep.  As of 2023, the practice is legal in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Vermont, California, Colorado, Washington DC, Hawaii, New Jersey, Maine and New Mexico.

  Voluntarily Stopping Eating & Drinking (VSED) is the personal decision of an individual who has mental clarity to make healthcare decisions, to refuse medical therapies, food, and liquids, with the understanding these actions will result in death.