Inspire End of Life Doula

The truth about working in this space? Those facing their end of life have so much to teach us.

There will always be pain in the loss and I never want to imply that it will be easy to say goodbye to those we love in their physical form. Or to say goodbye to our own health and physical form when the time comes.

But I invite you to remain open to the wisdom inherent at end of life, and the lessons the dying can teach us. There is a surprising amount of beauty to be found when walking with people on this sacred journey.

If you are currently on this path with someone you love, I see you and I'm here for you. To fully honor their journey, don't forget to keep your heart open to the gifts the dying can leave you with.

image credit: tinybuddha

The Good Death Seminar Series #2:

Hospice Care, what it is and what it isn't. What is the hospice gap? And how can you fill it?

📆 Wednesday June 24th
⏰ 5:30-7pm
📍 Marysville Community Center

Full list of upcoming seminar topics with a link to register in comments 👇

By 2060, the U.S. population aged 65+ is projected to nearly double (CDC, 2023). Are we ready?

Follow along for free resources, events and training! Together, we can change the way we approach end of life care and planning.

As a caregiver, have you taken time to think about your own end-of-life plans, or has most of your energy gone toward supporting your loved one?

The Good Death Seminar Series is FULLY BOOKED this month! See you Wednesday!

This is explained beautifully. The role of supplemental oxygen at end of life is often misunderstood. I encourage you to read the whole post, but I love how beautifully this sentence sums up the goals of hospice interventions:

"In hospice care, every intervention is guided by one question: does this improve comfort? If the answer is yes, it is continued. If not, care is adjusted to better support the patient’s experience. This is the foundation of hospice, comfort, dignity, and compassionate care at the end of life."

UNDERSTANDING THE USE OF OXYGEN AT END OF LIFE IN HOSPICE CARE

Oxygen at the end of life is often misunderstood. In hospice care, oxygen is not used to prolong life, it is used to improve comfort. The focus is not on oxygen numbers, but on how the patient feels and whether their breathing is eased (National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, 2022).

Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a subjective experience. A patient may feel breathless even with normal oxygen levels, while another may have low oxygen levels without distress. Evidence shows that supplemental oxygen does not consistently relieve dyspnea in patients who are not hypoxic, and in some cases provides no additional benefit over room air (American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2023).

In hospice, oxygen is continued when it provides relief and discontinued when it does not improve comfort or becomes burdensome. As the body naturally declines, decreasing oxygen levels are expected and part of the dying process, not something that must always be corrected (Hospice and Palliative Nurses Association, 2021).

Research supports low-dose opioids, such as morphine, as first-line therapy for dyspnea because they reduce the sensation of air hunger. Simple measures such as elevating the head of the bed and using a fan to create airflow across the face can also significantly improve comfort by decreasing the perception of breathlessness (American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine, 2023).

In hospice care, every intervention is guided by one question: does this improve comfort? If the answer is yes, it is continued. If not, care is adjusted to better support the patient’s experience. This is the foundation of hospice, comfort, dignity, and compassionate care at the end of life.

For educational purposes only. Please consult your hospice or medical team for patient-specific guidance.

Follow for more evidence-based education.

"Because we will all be called upon to care for those we love at the end of life. "

Two spaces remaining for our May event.

Link to register in the comments!

📅 Wednesday, May 20th
⏰ 5:30-7pm
📍 Marysville Community Center, 1015 State Ave
💲 Free to attend

For many of us, just hearing the words “end of life” can bring up fear, memories, or a desire to look away. I’ve felt that too. It’s one of the reasons I became a Doulagivers End of Life Doula and Legacy Leader – I wanted to be able to sit with these conversations in a calm, loving way and help others feel less alone.

In my nursing career, I learned from exceptional leaders in Palliative Care while working in inpatient oncology. These beautiful mentors taught me how to be a peaceful presence at the bedside, how to sit with patients and families in the complexity of grief, and how not to look away when someone was experiencing their sacred end of life. Through these experiences, I was gifted a profound peace I didn't know was possible. And I want you to know this kind of peace, too.

This is why I’m hosting a free Good Death Seminar Series on Wednesday, May 20th from 5:30–7:00 pm at the Marysville Community Center, in Marysville, Washington. This is a monthly, 90 minute gathering for adults who want to talk honestly about aging, caregiving, and end of life – or just come to listen and learn. Each session has standalone value and participant workbooks are provided.

If you have questions, don't hesitate to ask.

There is no cost to attend. If this speaks to you (or someone you know), you can register here:

City of Marysville Online Services

Did you know…
98% of hands-on end-of-life care is done by FAMILY members.
Not doctors.
Not hospitals.
Not even hospice.
Family.
And most have no idea how to do it.
Even when hospice is involved…
Hospice visits are short.
Support is limited.
And for most today- end of life is not going well.
This isn’t because people don’t care—
It’s because we were never taught.
100 years ago, this was different.
End-of-life care was a sacred skill…
Passed down from grandmother to grandchild.
A natural part of life.
It’s time to bring that back.
On Death Doula World Training Day, we are giving this knowledge back to the world—for free.
Because here’s the truth:
Every single one of us will be called to show up for someone at the end of life.
And knowing what to expect…
How to support…
How to bring grounded presence instead of fear…
Changes everything.
This is our 8th Annual Global Training
Hundreds of thousands have already said YES
And you are invited
👉 Join us. Be part of the movement.
👉 Claim your free ticket here: https://training.doulagivers.com/a/2148256093/9v2suz4i
This is how we change the world.

Free End-of-Life Doula & Family Caregiver Training Join us for this free, heart-centered training where you’ll learn how to support loved ones—and your community—through the end-of-life journey with compassion, clarity, and confidence.

Walking is therapy

I recommend this often to friends and clients experiencing emotional trauma or grief. If you are struggling, do your best to get outside for a 5-10 minute walk. It's not just because "exercise is good for you," though of course, it is. But there's more to it than that.

The bilateral eye and arm movements of walking help your body regulate emotions and decrease activity in the fear center of your brain (the amygdala).

Walking helps your body enter a parasympathetic (rest) state where you are able to think more clearly and process emotions.

If you know someone who is struggling with grief but you don't know how to help them, invite them out for a walk. Do your best not to fill the silence, let the walk be the magic. Our bodies are smart. They know how to help us heal. We just need to partner with them. 💜

Inspired by: The Holistic Psychologist