Support Needed at End-of-Life: Death Doulas are Here to Help
Faculty Mentor
Rie Kobayashi, Ph.D., LMSW
Loading...
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Social Work
Abstract
With the older adult population increasing at a faster rate due to the Baby Boomer era, additional support is needed to assist older adults with the “agenda” that comes with death and dying. Death doulas are an option for non-medical support to help guide individuals through this process. As being a death doula is a somewhat newer defined role, understanding what a death doula is and what support they can provide is crucial. Information was located through research databases and a presentation session during the 2024 American Society on Aging Conference.
I recommend the inclusion of a death doula as they provide support that others cannot offer. Death doulas provide a range of services, such as emotional care/support, logistics support, end-of-life planning, and more. It’s to be noted that the doulas are not regulated through palliative care services. However, a model of care and code of ethics is designated for this unique work. This presentation will discuss the role of a death doula within end-of-life services and the potential implications of this newer profession.
Recommended Citation
Perrin, Kaitlin, "Support Needed at End-of-Life: Death Doulas are Here to Help" (2024). 2024 Symposium. 2.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2024/asy_2024/asy_2024/2
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Support Needed at End-of-Life: Death Doulas are Here to Help
With the older adult population increasing at a faster rate due to the Baby Boomer era, additional support is needed to assist older adults with the “agenda” that comes with death and dying. Death doulas are an option for non-medical support to help guide individuals through this process. As being a death doula is a somewhat newer defined role, understanding what a death doula is and what support they can provide is crucial. Information was located through research databases and a presentation session during the 2024 American Society on Aging Conference.
I recommend the inclusion of a death doula as they provide support that others cannot offer. Death doulas provide a range of services, such as emotional care/support, logistics support, end-of-life planning, and more. It’s to be noted that the doulas are not regulated through palliative care services. However, a model of care and code of ethics is designated for this unique work. This presentation will discuss the role of a death doula within end-of-life services and the potential implications of this newer profession.
