Doula for Hospice of the Western Reserve

End-of-life doulas provide non-medical, holistic support and comfort to the dying person and their family, which may include education and guidance as well as emotional, spiritual or practical care.

Hospice of the Western Reserve strives to ensure patients have the highest quality end-of-life care as defined by them. The innovative End of-Life Doula program offered by the Agency ensures early and consistent communication and planning for our each of our patient’s unique paths.

End of life doula services are provided by specially trained volunteers. In building a relationship, end-of-life doulas meet the needs and desires of the patient and adapt their provision of care accordingly in collaboration with the clinical team.

Our end-of-life doula effort includes four key elements to serve the patient and their loved ones:

• Life Review: By facilitating conversations about the patient’s life and providing support, end-of-life doulas may help individuals move from despair to meaning through exploration
• Legacy Work: A powerful way to ensure that the patient’s thoughts, hopes, and experiences are memorialized
• Vigil Planning: A sacred component of ensuring that the patient is provided with the setting and environment that they desire for the final hours
• Vigil Presence: An element of the end-of-life doula effort, in which a volunteer will be present with the patient and support loved ones as requested