End of Life Doulas Specialize in Advance Care Planning

End of Life Doulas are experts in managing advance care planning conversations. EOL Doula Pam Carter of International Doula Life Movement knows how to get those discussions going. As an EOL Doula, Pam works with people with serious illness and their families to determine their end of life wishes. Choices are often made by weighing benefit vs burden. That means considering questions like “What will I get out of this? Is this what I want to do?”, “Is this something that contributes to my quality of life?”, or “If I spend my time like this, what will it take from me?”, and “What will I have to give up for this (energy, time with family, peace, comfort, respiratory comfort, even money)?” Pam believes advance care planning should consider all aspects of how we live. Further treatment for an existing illness should definitely be included. Other things to talk about for your ACP is where you want to be cared for towards the end of your life, and who you’d like to take care of you.   Here are some other things that could be included in your Advance Care Plan: Having visits from a spiritual counselor (chaplain) Including visitors or having privacyReturning to the hospital for accidents or injuriesTreatment for infectionsHow much information you want about your health statusWho will be your healthcare decision maker (Medical Power of Attorney/Healthcare Proxy)Funeral/memorial service planningTradition funeral care, embalming, green burial, or human compostingUsing medications that will cause drowsiness or avoiding sedationBody/organ donation (whole body donation, forensic anthropology donation)Back-up plan if body donation is disqualifiedRituals or ceremonies  That’s only the beginning of the many things that can be part of an advance care plan. Those ACP conversations should happen early and often. It’s hard to imagine all the “what ifs”, but it’s valuable to talk about different scenarios that seem possible for your life or situation.   Having an end of life or death doula to facilitate those ACP discussions can help!  Want to know more about doulas, or connect with others who are doing death doula work? Visit internationaldoulalifemovement.com.  If you’re interested in becoming a certified death doula through IDLM, click here. Access all the courses that IDLM provides here. See all the events that IDLM is offering by clicking here.    Looking for a copy of the Odonata Care Plan? Click here to purchase it for yourself or your care agency.   NEW** - the Odonata Care Plan is now available in SPANISH - purchase it here!!  Check out the free Care Video tutorials from Odonata founders and hospice nurses Nancy Heyerman and Brenda Kizzire here.  Partner with National HME to provide medical equipment for your patients at nationalhme.com. Find more podcast episodes from The Heart of Hospice at The Heart of Hospice Podcast (theheartofhospice.com)  Book podcast host Helen Bauer to speak at your event or conference by sending an email to [email protected].  Follow The Heart of Hospice on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.  Connect with The Heart of Hospice podcast on The Whole Care Network and other caregiving podcasts by clicking here.