Comfort at the End of Your Life

Doulas can comfort the dying and their families.

Doulas, who are generally associated with offering care and support to women in labor, are now also available to assist dying patients and their families, according to a Washington Post article “Dying is hard. Death doulas want to help make it easier.”

Death doulas are trained professionals whose job is to assist the dying and their families. They attempt to make the transition from one world to the next easier. Sometimes that means that the doula just sits with a dying person and holds his or her hand so the individual knows he or she is not alone. Doulas will often help loved ones overcome their own emotions so they can say their final goodbyes. They have even been known to run errands for family members to make sure that families do not miss the final moments of a loved one’s life.

Anything that makes the end of life easier for the elderly and their families is welcome. Disputes that begin in sick rooms have often been known to linger for years between family members and can lead to family fights and even estate litigation.

Without tensions arising in the hospital room, the job of estate planning and elder law attorneys is made easier.

Reference: Washington Post (July 22, 2016) “Dying is hard. Death doulas want to help make it easier”