End of Life Care
What is an End of Life Doula?
As defined by The Australian Doula College, an End of Life Doula is:
“ a non-medical role that provides support, options and education, assisting the dying and those around them have their end of life unfold in alignment with their wishes, to preserve the quality of life, well-being and self-worth up to and beyond the end of life as we know it. They are the “informed companion” bringing comfort, support, compassion, and assist a person and their family in feeling safe and supported during this important transition “
Our End of Life Doulas at Living Bridge Community Care are comprehensively trained professionals, each holding a National Police Check, Public Liability, and Professional Indemnity Insurance. They follow a strict code of conduct and ethics, supporting not only those at end-of-life but also their families and valued supports by providing education, resources, advocacy, and companionship.
At Living Bridge Community Care, we understand the importance of having choices and control over your end-of-life care. Living Bridge Community Care End of Life Care Doula Services provide compassionate, personalised support to ensure your final wishes are honoured in the place of your choice, whether at home, in a hospital, hospice, or aged care residential facility.
What is Conscious Dying?
Our End of Life Doulas at Living Bridge Community Care embrace the concept of conscious dying, which focuses on acceptance and being present in the final days. They provide person-centered care, bringing deeper meaning and comfort.
The term – Conscious Dying – creates an understanding that each one of us is going to die. It helps us to think about what a good death might mean. The process of leaving this life with a peaceful acceptance can help us to be authentically present in the sacred circle of life and death.
The path of Conscious Dying is unique, a deeply personal, emotional and spiritual time. Living Bridge Community Care End of Life Doulas are skilled professionals, dedicated to bringing deeper meaning and greater comfort, providing person centered care to assist in preparing for how the last days may unfold.
End of Life Care Services
These supports can be utilised as a single service or as part of an ongoing services package tailored to your individual needs.
Introductory Consultation
Complimentary 1-Hour Session: Get to know our End of Life Care Doula Service, understand your needs, the family dynamic, and our service charges and fees.
Planning and Preparation
Before, During, and After Death: Planning and documenting your end-of-life care wishes, ensuring they are honored and supported in your chosen place.
Advance Health Directive
Guidance: We offer informed guidance to help you understand and document your future health care, medical care, and end-of-life care choices.
Doctor Review: Assistance with arranging a doctor’s appointment to review and sign your AHD, including transportation if needed.
Legal Formalities: Witnessing and signing by a JP Qualified professional.
Documentation: Upload of your AHD to MyGov-My Health record, Queensland Health electronic hospital record and Queensland Ambulance Service via The State Office of Advance Care Planning.
An Advance Health Directive is the legal document in Queensland –
that allows you to give directions about your future health care, medical care and end-of-life care choices to health professionals while you have the capacity to do so. It comes into effect when you do not have capacity, whether in the short term or the long term to make your own health care, medical care and end of life care decisions.
Our End-of-Life Doulas, are passionate about assisting you and your loved ones to make informed future health care, medical care and end-of-life care choices while you are living well. Our hope is to activate conversations and curiosity to encourage health and death literacy by providing space to talk about and make plans that are consistent with your values and wishes.
Creative De-Cluttering
Support in creatively de-cluttering your space, ensuring a renewed sense of calm and peace of mind in preparing for how the last days may unfold.
Living Wake
Celebration: Prepare for and host a living wake, celebrating your life while you are still here to enjoy it.
It is an opportunity to celebrate your life. It’s a wonderful time to gather loved ones and friends. It can be as simple as a beer and prawns on the back veranda, a pretty little tea party, a chance for the grand-kids to draw love messages on your coffin, or an à la carte moonlight river cruise. It differs from a funeral in that our End of Life Doulas are here to help you prepare for your final hoorah while you are still around to enjoy it. It need not mean that you won’t have a funeral. That’s up to you.
Dying at Home
What is inspiring, is knowing that with the right support, Dying at Home can go right and that it fundamentally changes what it means to grieve.
If you are considering Dying at Home contact us to discuss the many End of Life Care choices and supports available to you to help you fulfil your wish to die in the place you call home.
Artistic Legacy
Creative Keepsakes: Create an emotional will, life story, memory book, and other legacy projects.
Holistic Pastoral Care
Faith and Cultural Practices: Facilitation of end-of-life faith, religious, and cultural practices.
Secular Spiritual Wellbeing: Addresses the inner life of each person.
Our approach to Secular Spiritual Wellbeing includes:
• Company over meals
• Creative crafts
• Creative decluttering
• Cultural engagement
• Appreciation activities
• The arts and music
• Nature activities
• Creating an artistic legacy
• Emotional will
• Life story and memory book creation
• Support to attend contemplative exercise classes (Tai Chi and Yoga)
• Guided meditation
Our Holistic Pastoral Care and Secular Spiritual Wellbeing Support addresses the inner person, providing emotional, social, and spiritual support that brings joy and fulfillment. This care is inclusive of all cultures and traditions, focusing on what brings enjoyment and meaning to your life.
Sitting Vigil
Offering compassionate presence in the final hours, ensuring you are not alone and providing respite for family members.
Sitting Vigil is holding compassionate presence in the final hours. Many of us find that there are times in our lives when we don’t want to be alone and dying may be one of those times. Sitting Vigil is a period of time, usually 24-48 hours before death when those around the dying remain awake. Our End of Life Care Doulas stay present at the bedside with the dying so that they are not alone in the last hours of life. Sitting Vigil gives time to family and loved ones to get some sleep, enjoy a meal, take a bath, go for a walk or just relax quietly with a cuppa or favourite drink.
Sitting Vigil can provide comfort to those who don’t have loved ones by their side. Our End of Life Doulas create a safe and peaceful place for the dying, offering comfort and compassionate presence.
Compassionate presence can be experienced as a profound kind of being with the dying. It can nurture a mutual sense of understanding and may be a means to console and ease the dying process with sensitivity and courage. Being with the dying is an integral part of being an End of Life Doula.
Our End of Life Doulas give comfort and support by holding compassionate presence ensuring true continuity of care.
After Death Body Care
Care and cleansing of the body, creating a sacred space for final acts of love and respect, including personalised rituals.
After Death Body Care is a ritual, a rite of passage. A rich experience that creates value and meaning, helping to connect us to a deep level of acceptance. This time-honoured practice has been the sacred tapestry, a final act of respect, of love and kindness towards the deceased in many cultures since the dawn of man.
Our End of Life Doulas are here to guide and support the loved ones of the deceased to participate in this special time as little or as much as they feel comfortable with. Dignity and privacy are upheld at all times, mindful of the intimate and sacred space in which we cleanse, care for, tend to and prepare the body.
Our End of Life Doulas are here to ensure that special requests, a specific faith, spiritual or cultural tradition of the deceased and loved ones are addressed, supported and honoured. Special requests can include shrouding, personalised ritual, preparation and placement for an in-home wake, a green burial or for collection of the body by a funeral home.
Our End of Life Doulas place emphasis on providing holistic and person-centred care and are mindful of the spiritual and psycho-social needs in cleansing, caring for, tending to and preparing the body at the end of life.
Living Bridge Community Care believe that After Death Body Care and Cleansing of the Body is profoundly significant in facilitating conscious dying and supports the grieving process in a healthy and safe space. It helps us as we acknowledge the many facets that shape our understandings around mortality.
Professional Grief and Loss Counselling
Therapy for grief, supporting bereaved individuals and families.
Grief is a normal emotional reaction. It can leave you feeling devastated, shocked, empty, confused and numb when someone significant to you dies. Bereavement is the state of experiencing that loss. Our experienced Qualified Professional Counsellors are here to support you.
Special Crisis Service
Dedicated support for families and loved ones experiencing loss through suicide, including Coronial Support.
Know You Are In Good Hands
A choice over who will be present, where you will die and what services you will get, matters.
Living Bridge Community Care certified End of Life Doulas provide the best of all aspects of End of Life Care Services and are committed to bringing deeper meaning and greater comfort to the dying, their loved ones and valued supports, facilitating choice and inclusive assistance as part of the natural continuum of care through a conscious, end of life process.
Our End-of-Life Doulas, Alexandra and Jill are passionate about assisting you to make informed health care and end-of-life care choices while you are living well.
Cultural Considerations
Each culture has its own way of dealing with death and dying. Living Bridge Community Care recognise the cultural diversity of the Australian people and practice a holistic and inclusive interdisciplinary approach to providing End of Life Care. Living Bridge Community Care End of Life Doulas practice specific engagement and communication strategies to support First Nations People and those from Australia’s Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD).
Not sure where to start?
You’re Not Alone. Let us Help!
Feeling overwhelmed about where to begin? You’re not alone. At Living Bridge Community Care, we understand that thinking about end-of-life care can be daunting. However, regaining control is possible. Let us guide you through the process with compassion and expertise. Fill out the enquiry form or request a call back to book a consultation today. Take the first step towards peace of mind and personalised care.