Elisabeth Almerini, RN, BSN, CHPN, Certified End of Life Doula

What is an End of Life Doula, and what is she doing on a network for wellness professionals??

While it's something we avoid thinking about, no matter how healthy a life we live, eventually it will end. If you've been a person who has valued the ability to make choices about your health, why wouldn't you want to be able to make choices about approaching death?

Being a hospice nurse for over 30 years, and seeing the difference personalized care makes at the end of life, I became End of Life Doula. I always found it interesting that we treat birth as the important event it is, making birth plans so our caregivers know exactly what our wishes are, inviting friends and loved ones to support us throughout the process and yet, when it comes to death, we don't even know what our choices are and seem to be content to let things just happen. The end of life is as important as the beginning, and my privilege is to help make this a reality for my clients.

I accompany the dying person and their loved ones during the end of life, providing practical, emotional, and spiritual help and guidance, making an unfamiliar and challenging time easier. I help people to explore their options and access resources, teach families how to care for their loved one, and support both the dying person and their family.

I bring all my skill to those I care for, but the main thing I bring is an open heart, a healing presence, and profound respect for each person's journey.

Death is a part of life, and empowering people to make choices around how they approach death and how they can best be supported is my goal.
Please note that while I have been present with people choosing Medical Aid in Dying, that is not my primary focus.

Expect that I will listen deeply to your words and to your heart, learning what death and dying mean to you and how I may best assist you and your loved ones through this transition.