“A lot of people have heard about birth doulas, so we do everything in an end-of-life capacity,” she said.
“We advocate for that person and we can be there for that person . . . so it’s like a walk alongside that person in their journey.”
Sometimes known as death doulas, end-of-life doulas provide emotional, social and practical support for people nearing or planning for their end of life and the people around them.
They are not medically trained and do not provide any medical care.
Kate trained with Helen Callanan, managing director and founder of Preparing the Way, an organisation that trains doulas in Australia and New Zealand.
“I think people are mistaken it's this big course you have to do,” she said, adding that it can be simple to become one and many have already had an encounter with a doula-like role.
“Some people have done that (end-of-life doula) role in their personal lives and not even realised that’s the role,” she said.
“It’s as simple as supporting someone through the process.”
Kate decided to become an end-of-life doula after developing an interest in palliative care and general “life and death”.
“I consider it my highest honour to assist someone on this journey,” she said.
Kate offers the service as part of Kindness Kare, a disability and end-of-life support service that she founded herself out of her passion to help others and spread positivity through kindness.
Most of her clients reach out to her once they find out they are at their end-of-life journey, but the service of an end-of-life doula is still uncommon.
“I think it's still very not known about . . . it’s still very rare and new to a lot of people,” she said, although there is plenty of scope for expanding the service outside of traditional practice.
“I know people who want it to be involved in emergency services places,” Kate said, adding that she can see her own end-of-life doula service expanding in the future.
“Obviously I’ve got the whole service to take into consideration . . . but it would be nice eventually to have some other doulas working with me,” she said.
If you’d like more information about end-of-life doula services, you can reach Kindness Kare at admin@kindnesskare.com.au or call on 0422 852 396.
16°C