What is an EOL Doula? What is Respite Care?
End-of-Life Doula and respite services are rooted in A Collective Approach to Death and Dying — one that honours acceptance, belonging, connection, and legacy. Doula practice provides steady, non-medical support to individuals living with a terminal diagnosis and to those they choose to have alongside them. Services include education about the dying process, emotional and spiritual support, facilitation of life review and legacy projects, guidance in shaping the final days, and assistance in navigating what follows after death. The focus is on presence, meaning, and the continuity of relationship — not on medical intervention. Doula services may complement hospice or palliative care or be tailored to meet specific needs.
Respite support may be provided at a non-clinical level or may require licensed nursing expertise, depending on the complexity of care needs. When clinical assessment, symptom awareness, or skilled oversight is required, services are delivered within the professional nursing scope of practice. Hourly fees reflect the level of training, licensure, and clinical judgment necessary to provide safe, competent, and appropriate care.
The North Coast EOL Collective is committed to upholding a standard of doula practice based on Excellence, Compassion, Fidelity, Service, Training. We recognize the Peaceful Presence Project as the primary doula training program in Oregon.
Chronology - EOL/Death Care Movement
Note that this chronology is not exhaustive but offers a general understanding of the development and growth of the death-positive or end-of-life movement in the United States. As societal attitudes continue to evolve, this movement will likely keep expanding and diversifying, illustrating the complex and multidimensional nature of the death-positive movement, which encompasses various initiatives, organizations, and events that contribute to a more open and accepting culture around death and dying.