Make a positive impact in your community and help those who need support by becoming an End-of-Life Doula. Are you working in health care and looking to receive end of life doula training within a Canadian context? Or maybe you’re a family caregiver who wants to understand the complexities of death and dying? Through our End-of-Life Doula program you’ll learn to provide the best possible care and support for those who are nearing the end of life. You’ll get experience developing care plans, responding effectively to grief, facilitating family meetings, teaching self-care practices and more. Find out more below.
Please see FAQ for information regarding registering for courses outside of your home province.
- Overview
- Prerequisites
- Instruction method and assessment
- Tuition & books
- Course offerings
- Registration
- FAQs
- Media
- Education Day
Overview
Course name
Introduction to End-of-Life Doula
Subject code
BREV 1100
Course length
32 hours
Course description
This course is designed for individuals who have been or will be called upon to provide care, support and advocacy for someone who is facing the end of their life. Students in this course develop an understanding of how the continuity of care and advocacy they provide complements the end of life care provided by the medical community and hospice palliative care workers and volunteers.
Whether you are a family caregiver seeking a deeper understanding of the questions and issues that arise at end of life, or are planning to open a practice as an End-of-Life Doula, this course will provide you with opportunities to discuss issues, ask questions, and find a community of practice that can support you as a caregiver through the end of life journey.
For more information about the community of practice for End-of-Life Doulas, please contact The End-of-Life Doula Association of Canada.
Please see FAQ for information regarding registering for courses outside of your home province.
Please note: Before you enroll in the End-of-Life Doula course, if you have recently lost a loved one, we recommend that you wait a while to give yourself time to process and recover from your loss. Giving yourself this time will provide you with an opportunity to reflect on the recency and impact of your loss, your current level of grief, as well as your personal experience and coping mechanisms during those difficult periods. This will ensure that when you are ready to register, you will be able to focus effectively on the curriculum, engage fully in the challenging topics considered during the course, and develop the skillset to be an effective Doula practitioner for your future clients on their final journeys.
Course content
Topics covered include:
- palliative care and the complementary role of the End-of-Life Doula;
- changing demographics and its effect on the health care system;
- cross-cultural and religious beliefs and practices surrounding death;
- effective communication skills;
- vigiling and vigil support
- complexity of grief and grieving, and the variety of coping mechanisms employed by the bereaved;
- community resources available;
- importance of and tools for Advance Care Planning;
- ethics and legal requirements; and
- building a community of practice.
Learning objectives
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- describe end of life care and the role of the End-of-Life Doula;
- discuss a range of beliefs and practices surrounding death;
- demonstrate effective communication skills;
- understand the complexity of grief and demonstrate effective responses to expressions of grief;
- understand and demonstrate the use of Advance Care Planning tools
- understand the legalities of funeral practices in the Province; and
- understand the End-of-Life Doula community of practice.