How do you prepare to face death? To be accompanied as best as possible, some dying people and their families call on end-of-life doulas. Like birth doulas, who accompany pregnant women before, during and after the birth of their child, thanadoulas (from the Greek Thanadead, and doulaservant) provide psychological support to those who are leaving.
In France, the practice is still very marginal. Only the End-of-Life Mourning-Doulas Institute in Bonnal, in the Doubs, has been officially recognized as a training organization since the beginning of 2022. The activity is developing elsewhere, particularly in Switzerland, where around thirty practitioners are referenced by the association Doulas de fin de vie, chaired by Rosetta Poletti.
At 85, the former palliative care nurse and former nursing school director stands up for The world outlines of this activity, which she has been practicing for half a dozen years.
What is an end-of-life doula? Where does this practice come from?
Rosetta Poletti: The first doulas were those related to birth, who accompanied women during and after their pregnancy. The term has been retained to refer to carers for people at the end of life: we speak of end-of-life doula or thanadoula. From time immemorial, experienced women have been called upon to accompany both birth and death. This is still the case today, especially in countries that do not have a health care system similar to that of Western countries.
The doula is a person who is not from the medical world, but who is trained to be present, to accompany dying people and their loved ones without anxiety, to help them by answering their questions, but also to support them psychologically, spiritually and practical or administrative manner, as required. It is often a link between the dying person, their relatives and caregivers, by sharing and exchanging information.
Caregivers and mobile palliative care teams, who do an extraordinary job, have little time to ensure a presence with the dying, as well as to provide emotional help and support to loved ones. They cannot fully participate in the preparation for this transition which is death. The doula does not practice any medical act and does not provide palliative care, she is a companion by her availability, her particular know-how and her compassion.
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