A death doula primarily works to be a presence at the end of life, easing the passage from living to dying. Their job is to assist and accompany those who are facing death and make this last chapter less scary. Death doulas are emerging as the baby boomers grow closer to this stage and as the recognition grows, presenting how the spirit needs to be attended to just like the body. These doulas job consists of helping with strategies to relieve burdened family members, organizing legacy projects that capture the patient’s life, assisting at the moment of death, and helping loved ones process grief.
See Ellen McCarthy, Dying Is Hard. Death Doulas Want to Help Make it Easier., Washington Post, July 22, 2016.
Special thanks to Lewis Saret (Attorney, Washington, D.C.) for bringing this article to my attention.
