What does an End of life coach do?

• End of life planning

• Provide immediate access to grief counselling and grief and loss support before, during or following the death of a loved one

• Provide counselling and support for anticapatory grief (before loss happens)

• Advocate for the dying persons wishes and plans for end of life

• Create awareness and connection to other support services

• Logistical planning and counsel for before, during and following death

• Comforting or ritual practices based on client preferences

• Reflection of life and values

• Explaining bodily functions and the dying process to loved ones

• Encourage people to speak openly and honestly about death, dying and everything in between

• Help to eliminate silence and decrease anxiety around dying and death before, during and after death occurs

• Help to dismantle the foundation of inequality, racism and social stigma at end of life

• Give TLC and resourceful guidance

  “People will often forget what you say, but they will always remember the way you made them feel”
  

What training and/or qualifications do I have?

There is currently no federally mandated certificate or accreditation for this type of work but there are private organisations that offer training and information. I have a Bachelor of Science (Nursing), and as a Registered Nurse have worked across Aged care, hospital wards, Emergency departments and palliative care settings. Prior to this I attained a Certificate III and IV in Veterinary Nursing and worked in the veterinary industry for 15 years.

I am currently completing my Diploma of Counselling through the Australian Institute of Professional Cousellors (AIPC) - majoring in Grief & Loss and Family Therapy. I am a member of the Australian Counselling Association (ACA) and I am a member of Dying with Dignity WA. I have attended Death Doula Australia training courses and workshops. In addition, my life experiences with death and dying, have been integral, and have taught me more about myself, and the dying process than most books, courses or certificates ever could. This is my passion. This is my purpose.

How are End of life coaches or death doulas different from funeral directors?

We complement each other. As an End of Life Coach, I provide additional support and resources in the community for the dying and/or their families. Funeral directors generally interact with a family following death, whilst my job is to be there in the planning stages, before, during and after a death has occured.

How else can I help?

• Advance Healthcare Directives and End of Life planning
  (Workshops available at request)

• Practical guidance for the dying, family, carers and friends

• Organisation of plans for support at individuals time of death

• Help with planning aftercare, funerals and memorial services

• Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) counsel, support, education and application assistance

• Help with self-funeral planning and writing ones own obituary

• Organisation of a living wake

• Creating a peaceful and loving atmosphere at the time of death, bringing families together and “holding space”

• Reduce confusion when dealing with other death care professionals

• Bring familes and communities into a space where death is normalised and spoken about openly

• Reduce stress on family members when dealing with the “hard stuff”