How End Of Life Doulas Serve
End of Life Doulas (EOL Doulas) provide non-medical, non judgmental, holistic support, companionship and comfort to the dying person and their family. We work with a dying person, their family and caregivers in the last months of life to guide them emotionally, spiritually and physically. Our care may also include practical care and education.
End Of Life Doulas foster self-determination in their clients by assisting them in gathering information and encourage them to make informed choices that are right for them. EOL Doulas work with other caregivers and members of the medical team.
End Of Life Doulas offer the dying person an opportunity to explore the meaning of their life and their impact on others. One of the ways EOL Doulas can support the dying person is with assistance to create a Legacy Project based on their ideas of what is important and how they wish to be remembered. Another way is by helping them to create a unique Vigil (plan) that reflects the dying person's vision of a good death. An example of a Vigil could be to plan how the dying space looks and feels; the music or sounds; readings and rituals, and so much more.
Services Offered :
The Services that we offer include:
Prior to the Vigil,
During the Vigil,(Actively Dying)
After the Vigil.
Prior to the Vigil: (5-10 Sessions, 60-90 minutes each)
After our initial consultation (Intake) the EOL Doula will meet with you to provide guidance and support of the dying person and family through the dying process.
-The EOL Doula will guide exploration of life meaning through structured life review.
-Assistance with the creating a Legacy Project. Examples include: Memory Books/Boxes, Letters, Life Scrolls, Videos, Audios, Collage, Songs, Poems and more...
-Planning the Vigil, planning how the dying person wishes the last days of life to look like.
-The creation of guided imagery sessions and rituals.
-Light housekeeping and running errands.
During the Vigil: (10-20 hours)
-Active participation during the last days of life (Actively Dying) referred to as the Vigil.
-Advocacy with clinicians, extended family, and paid caregivers in regards to the dying person's wishes about their care, atmosphere and involvement at the bedside.
-Assistance with simple physical care, such as mouth care, repositioning, changing bedsheets or applying a cool compress.
-Education about the signs and symptoms of the active dying process and imminent death.
-After the death, an EOL Doula can assist with phone calls to family, friends, or the funeral home.
After the Vigil :(Post, 2-6 hours)
-Three to six weeks after the death the EOL Doula can assist with reprocessing the dying experience with the family.
-Education about the grieving process, early grief support, and offering appropriate referrals when necessary.
-The EOL Doula will conduct a final ritual to bring closure to the doula work with the family at the last session.
Fee Structure and Packages
Please call 831-295-8150 to inquire about:
- Main Doula Package
- Extended Doula Package
About Kendra Barnett
Kendra Barnett, founder of Sunset Services Collective, is a graduate of JerryGrace Lyons Final Passages, Death Care Midwife Training and has completed the End Of Life Doula Training with INELDA. Kendra is a trained Waldorf Early Childhood teacher and a graduate of the Rudolf Steiner College in 2005. She is a member of The Institute For The Study of Birth, Breath And Death and has successfully completed a 15 hour online training entitled "Holding Space for Pregnancy Loss", and "Advanced Training for Pregnancy Loss", a 5 hour online training, a 13 hour online training entitled, "Holding Space for Loving, Dying and Letting Go", all offered through the Institute For The Study Of Birth, Breath And Death. She has earned Proficiency Badges, a micro credential, from both the National Home Funeral Alliance (NHFA) and the National End-Of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA). She is a graduate of the NPEC certification program (National Professional End Of Life Doula Certification). She is also a Hospice Volunteer
Additional Information
EOL Doulas provide non-medical support. We do not perform any clinical tasks.
EOL Doulas nurture, inform, support, guide, empower and comfort.
For client needs outside of the EOL Doula's scope of practice, the EOL Doula makes referrals to appropriate professionals and community resources.
EOL Doulas do not usurp the role of other professionals and caregivers such as the hospice nurse, social worker, chaplain, home health aide, etc.
For more information please see the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization website:
https://www.nhpco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/Doulas_NHPCO-info.pdf
https://www.nhpco.org/about-nhpco/committees-and-councils/end-of-life-doula-council/
nhfa Proficient (National Home funeral alliance)
https://www.homefuneralalliance.org
NEDA Proficient (National End-Of-Life Doula Alliance)
http://www.nedalliance.org
