Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Death Doula? 

A Death Doula, or AKA, End of Life Doula, or Death Midwife is a non-medical and holistic practitioner who guides individuals and their families through the dying process by way of presence, support, advocacy, education, care, and companionship. Just as birth doulas support mothers birthing a new life, a death doula supports individuals transitioning from this life into the next. 

Why would you need a Death Doula? 

Death Doulas can be a calming and reassuring presence with knowledge of the death process and what to expect, and a compassionate resource for families who may be overwhelmed and grieving at the impending death of their loved one. Death Doulas offer a variety of services to assist in the transition of dying, but are first and foremost a grounding, reliable, knowledgeable and comforting presence during a very emotional time.

How is Managed Transitions different from what hospice offers? 

We highly recommend every individual and family facing a terminal illness and end of life to call their local hospice as soon as possible! Though our doula services do not replace hospice's medical team of nursing and physician care, we complement hospice teams seamlessly. We offer more time, more personalized attention, more continuity at bedside, more advocacy, and more availability beyond what hospice is normally able to provide due to Medicare guidelines. 

Our training exceeds what hospice volunteer programs provide as we have faced in-depth our fears and emotions around death. We are experienced in dealing with intense and difficult emotions. Our full-time presence and companionship, our advocacy in hospitals or at home, our coaching to customize end-of-life care plans for spiritual, physical, practical and life review needs, and most of all, our consistent relationships with our clients are not available with hospice. 

When should I contact a Death Doula? 

Death Doulas can be contacted at any time during the end of life process. The sooner the doula can enter into the process, the better as they can spend more time getting to know the individual and family, creating quality care plans, prioritizing end of life needs, and creating sacred space and meaning for the individual and family.

Do Doulas charge for their services? 

Some do, some do not. Some operate as donation only, some have a specific pay structure like packages or hourly rates based on the specific services provided, some have a sliding scale. Regardless, this part of the client-doula relationship should be clearly communicated and established from the beginning.