As an end-of-life doula, I work with the family in a supportive role to navigate the death experience and to plan, educate, and arrange for a better death. Families are often emotionally unprepared for the death of a loved one, I will support the client and family in planning and executing 'last wishes'. “Doulas can take some of the ‘work’ of the death experience off of the family so they can just be fully present with their loved one,” explained Becca Price, a certified end-of-life doula in San Diego. “That often means actually finding ways to encourage and arrange for that since, in our culture, we do not value 'being' as much as we value 'doing'.”
Legacy life review (LLR) is another way to reflect on one's life and to complete important tasks prior to our death. During a LLR with a client, we will begin by reflecting on their life and learn what needs to be done for a sense of feeling complete. This is also an opportunity for a client to leave something behind for their family to cherish, which could look like a music playlist, obituary writing, photo album, letters, and much more.
Something to remember, the most important thing about death is the life that comes before it.