Overview

A new profession that is making a mark in the world of deathcare is emerging in North America and around the world: end-of-life doulas (EOL doulas or EOLDs). This short, self-guided course will help you understand who doulas are, what their scope of practice is, and their potential impact on those of us who are licensed funeral professionals in a rapidly evolving landscape.  Most funeral directors in Canada understand their own profession’s history, but they may have little knowledge of the history of the end-of-life doula. This professional development opportunity will provide a succinct history of the (re)emergence of community deathcare, offer insight into present-day practices, and examine future opportunities for mutual enrichment in the growing field of end-of-life and post-death services. 

Learning objectives:

By the end of this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the following:

 Understand the three social movements that contributed to the emergence of the end-of life doula movement in North America
 Identify issues in end-of-life and after death care emerging from imminent demographic shifts
 Describe the scope, practice and role of an end-of-life doula
 Explore opportunities for collaboration between end-of-life doulas and funeral directors/embalmers