Tree of Life Services - End of Life Doulas What does an End of Life Doula do? and other questions and answers...

We provide a range of end of life services through all the stages of end of life and beyond the time of death

  • What does an End of Life Doula do?

    • Assists you in knowing what is required and completing your legal documents so you can have your choices known and wishes followed. Depending on which Australian state you reside in, there are different legal and statutory requirements for ‘paperwork’ and legal documents empowering who you choose to support you.
    • Provides you information about many end of life choices you have both for living and for after death.
    • Supports in your right to choose an end-of-life that is meaningful to you and consistent with your belief system and values (ethnic, cultural, religious/spiritual or personal).
    • Assists you put into place all your plans for the future as you wish.
    • Advocates for and guides all involved through the medical/hospital/nursing world ensuring that you know all you need to.
    • Can be your liaison, your ‘interpreter’ with your medical and other support teams.
    • Accesses the support services and other resources you may need or prefer.
    • Provides emotional support to all involved, before, during and after death.
    • Coordinates services and all aspects of care provision as needs change.
    • Assists in the maintenance of an intimate, spiritual and peaceful ‘space’ and experience for everyone involved whether medical support is required or not and whether in the home, hospice or residential facility.
    • Provides emotional and spiritual support, or facilitate access to specialists who can do so.

  • How can an End of Life Doula help?

    • End of Life Doulas act as companions, advocates and educators for the dying and their families – commonly giving the dying the opportunity to die at home, if that's their wish.
    • Despite the leaps of technological advancement, studies indicate that we’re more socially isolated than we’ve ever been before. We tend not to know our neighbours the way that we once did and it’s common for family members to live too far apart to physically support each other. This has huge implications across the lifespan and particularly in how we die and grieve.
    • End of Life Doulas nurture and support the dying and their family in a way that is practical, empathetic and can be tailored to the needs of each individual family.

  • What is the role of an End of Life Doula?

    • An End of Life Doula can help you plan your death – they can step you through what the experiencing leading up to death may be like for you and your family. They can support you with funeral arrangements; with contingency plans if you become too unwell to stay at home. An End of Life Doula can potentially stay overnight – helping to comfort, care and keep the dying company.
    • Often, the family of someone who is terminally ill or approaching the end of their life may be processing their own complex emotions – they may be unable or unwilling to engage with death and dying in a way that helps their dying loved one. There is a great comfort in having open conversations with people who are experienced and confident discussing issues related to end of life, death and grief.

  • Are Doulas medical professionals?

    • People who wish to be doulas can undertake formal training across Australia, however, doulas are not nurses or doctors. The role of a Doula is non-medical. They are not counsellors or therapists. In fact, doulas are not only involved in death, but may also choose to specialise in other big transitions in life – such as supporting families during pregnancy and birth, or offering alternative health options, such as Reiki, and becoming a funeral or marriage celebrant.
    • Doulas tend to weave themselves into life! Birth and death have so much in common, yet we are much more comfortable with the beginning of life than we are with the end of it.

  • How does an End of Life Doula provide end of life care?

    • What does it mean to die? What legacy do you want to leave? Who will fill the gap between the doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers and your family? How do you deal with fear? With pain and tedium and the unexpected moments of joy and of yearning? An End of Life Doula can to help guide you through these difficult and overwhelming subjects from diagnosis to death and to the grief and bereavement following death.
    • End of Life Doulas are intimately acquainted with death and with meeting the needs of the dying and their families. There is a growing recognition of the increasingly important role Doulas play in end of life care

  • What do I do if someone dies at home?

    • If the death is unexpected, you need to call emergency services immediately, dial Triple Zero - 000
    • If the death is anticipated, and your End of Life Doula isn't with you at the time, firstly, take your time. Yes, the doctor will eventually need to be called to issue a death certificate. But it's a good idea to put the kettle on, settle yourself, call people when you feel you need to. There is no rush. More than likely, the deceased person will be in a bed, so keep the room as cool as possible, cover the deceased person with a sheet. Spend some time with your deceased person, this is time that's very precious.
    • When you are ready, you can call Tree of Life Services on 0493 276 554, and we can talk through what needs to be done next such as to call the doctor, other family members, friends. We can also help you with the funeral arrangements of course.

  • What do I do when a death occurs in a hospital, hospice, nursing home or similar?

    • When someone dies in a place other than the home, there will be facilities on-site to care for the deceased, as well as having a doctor available to sign the death certificate. You do have the right to ask that the deceased person not be moved from the room / bed until you are ready for this to happen (unless the person had an infectious condition such as Covid 19). Usually, there would be no requirement to whisk the person away.
    • Take your time, start your grieving. Call whomever you need to call to let them know what's happened and also call Lauren at Tree of Life Services on 0493 276 554 and we can talk through what needs to be done next and arrange for Lauren to come and be with you to assist you.
    • You and your family and friends can complete the personal preparation of the deceased person if you wish, we can ask nursing staff to assist as well, and then call the chosen funeral director for you. The facility may wish to move the deceased person to their mortuary area to allow the funeral home to collect them for transportation, or they may allow the funeral home access to the room, depending on the individual facility. We can also help you with the funeral arrangements of course.

  • What do Funeral Celebrants do?

    • Generally, a Funeral Home will refer the person(s) arranging a funeral to a Celebrant, but anyone can engage a Funeral Celebrant.
    • The Celebrant would then make a time to meet with the person(s) arranging the funeral and to start planning and writing the Service. As a Funeral Celebrant, Lauren would ask if the person who has died has made their wishes for their funeral known and the discussion leads from there. Family and friends can of course contribute, and your Celebrant will write a Service that truly reflects the person, which celebrates their life, the ups and downs, the love and laughter.
    • The Celebrant will offer suggestions for poems and readings, format, etc, and help you to be comfortable in knowing that there will a wonderful celebration of the deceased person's life They work with the Funeral Home to ensure everything flows smoothly and the farewell is one with warm memories, providing comfort and good memories to everyone present.
    • A Celebrant provides warmth, caring and compassion and aims to provide the best of care to the deceased person and those that are left behind. They should provide calm and reassurance and a beautiful, meaningful end of life Service.

  • Can I arrange my own or someone else's funeral?

    • Yes, you can. Most Australians don’t know, but every step of the funeral itself can be done by you.
    • It is entirely personal choice but most people wouldn’t want to do it as there are so many unknowns and when you're grieving it's probably the last thing you want to do, which is where Lauren Newman from Tree of Life Services can assist you to hold a family-led funeral. Lauren has other Celebrants to call upon to assist as well.
    • Funerals can be easily and legally held at home, and choosing this option can also save a good deal of money. A funeral home can be asked to assist in regards to mortuary care and providing their hearse, but very affordable coffins can be purchased with the assistance of Lauren in her capacity as a funeral celebrant, funeral director, and End of Life Doula.
    • Family-led funerals are funerals that do have a professional or experienced funeral celebrant present to help guide and support the family and/or friends if needed, but the rituals and ceremonies of the funeral are shaped by, and conducted by, family and friends. It can be very memorable, very personal, very rewarding and very special for all involved

  • Why is an Advance Care Plan important?

    • An Advance Care Plan allows you to have your Voice Heard! It is your way of telling your loved ones, doctors and other trusted advisors what is most important to you in your life and what care you do and don’t want to receive when you lose the ability to speak and can no longer communicate your own decisions.
    • We all have different values, goals and beliefs in life - even within families - and when it comes to your future medical care it is vitally important that you discuss them openly so that your family understand how you feel and want to be treated at the end of your life. After all, remaining in control of our life choices helps us stay happy, healthy in mind, and empowers us to live life to the fullest in this ever changing world.
Batemans Bay, Moruya, Bodalla & Surrounding areas - we come to you
Lauren Newman
Acknowledgment of our First Nations
We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging, particularly members of the Yuin Nation here on the South Coast of NSW.
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