Death Doula Course
Module One
“To the well-organized mind,
death is but the next great adventure.”
~J.K. Rowling~
What You Will Learn In Module One
Section 1:
Introduction and general information.
Section 2:
What is a death doula and what do they do?
What is a Death Doula?
What does a Death Doula do?
Why Death Doulas matter?
What type of holistic support do Death Doulas provide?
Who becomes a Death Doula?
Can you make Death Doula a work career?
Why should a Death Doula be appointed?
Providing support for the terminally ill.
Do I need a license to be a practicing Death Doula?
Section 3:
South African Medical Association (SAMA)
National Patient’s Health Charter
Patient’s Rights Charter
Responsibilities of the Patient
It’s a matter of life and death
Section 4:
The needs of the dying and the family
Providing emotional care
Emotions in terminal illness
What is emotional distress?
How can I assess someone’s emotional needs?
How can I provide emotional care?
What is emotional or spiritual pain?
Spirituality
Coping with emotional or spiritual pain
Getting emotional or spiritual support
Will dying be painful?
Providing comfort at the end of life
Managing end-of-life symptoms
From care to comfort
Be a source of comfort for the grieving
‘Holding Space’ – One of your most vital services
Section 5:
Creating a sacred space for the dying
Section 6:
Communicating about death
What to say, how to say it and where to find help
Fear of talking about death
Why relatives and friends won’t talk about death
Why people who are dying won’t talk about death
Starting the conversation
How to open up difficult conversations
How to listen well
Saying goodbye
Section 7:
Coping mechanisms when someone is dying
Section 8:
Coping with terminal illness
Through the eyes of the patient
Patient’s needs identified
Hope and coping
Through the provider’s eyes
Psychological issues
Support issues
Support guidelines
Final thought
Section 9:
Providing comfort at the end of life
Physical comfort
Pain
Breathing problems
Skin irritation
Digestive problems
Temperature sensitivity
Fatigue
End-of-Life: Mental and emotional needs
Section 10:
Spiritual needs and practical tasks at the end of life
Spiritual support at the end of life
Other practical care tasks
Section 11:
Practices to think about when someone is dying
End-of-Life care
The dying process
Signs that death is near
Physical changes
Their external world begins to diminish
Increased sleep & appetite reduction
Changes of expression
Special requests
Section 12:
At the bedside
Section 13:
Talking about death and dying
At the end
Physical signs that death is near
Choosing the moment to go
The moment of death
Death related phenomena
Immediately afterwards