This book has been years in the making...
We were floored when we released the book and it quickly became an Amazon best seller in 3 categories--Aging, Death and Grief and New Books. I knew then that people are hungry for how to empower and advocate for their family, friends and community. I am grateful to contribute to the collective end-of-life wisdom that will change the way we die in the modern age. - Deanna |
What Readers are saying...
In this book, Deanna shares all she has learned and all she believes about accompanying the dying in a compassionate and heartfelt way. A reader will know if they are called to do this work after reading it, and will have the resources to get started. - Elle
Deanna has put her life work into this book with so much love and continued guidance for all of us End of Life Doulas. Self care, care of the dying and care of the family members is all covered in a readable, usable
format. My #1 go to book! Thanks, Deanna. - Charles
"End of Life Doula work is coming into mainstream care. Deanna helps us bring back the art of caring for those walking along lifes final pathway. This book is easy to understand and is filled with practical information for caring for anyone we love. Whether you are an End of Life Caregiver, or one who has a friend or family member this book is for you. Deanna's years of work as a hospice nurse along with her care and compassion shines through in the stories she shares and the information she provides. I especially found the resources she listed helpful and practical. And her guidance on the importance of Self Care for those of us who are caregivers to the dying is equally important. This is an excellent book that I am proud to have on my EOL library shelf. Thank you Deanna! - Esther
Accompanying the Dying: Practical, Heart-centered Wisdom for End-of-Life Doulas and Healthcare Advocates |
Available soon in Spanish and French!
Accompanying the Dying
Death Doulas & Advocates
|
Deanna describes the practical steps and advocacy to accompany another person through serious illness and dying.
This book is not about the emotional journey of facing a loved one's dying as much as it is about what to do to assist in reducing suffering for the person in your life who is facing the end of life. It is a handbook for people who accompany others and advocate for others in their journey through serious illness and through dying. |
There is a wide gap in knowing how to reduce suffering and advocate for people who are facing decline, not on hospice (and may not want to be), having complications that cannot seem to be handled.
This kind of advocacy is not something you are born with, like the human art of 'being with dying' as a loving companion. This kind of knowing, described in this book, is a reference of what to know as you deal with serious illness, regardless of where you are in the journey. The book is overflowing with wisdom that only someone with years of experience can impart, offers historical context and present-day initiatives and describes how end-of-life doulas and health-care advocates can change the face of dying wherever they choose to serve.
No doubt, Accompanying the Dying takes its place among the great works of humanity, bringing us to the next level of awareness in accompanying our family, friends and communities with skillful, loving care.
This kind of advocacy is not something you are born with, like the human art of 'being with dying' as a loving companion. This kind of knowing, described in this book, is a reference of what to know as you deal with serious illness, regardless of where you are in the journey. The book is overflowing with wisdom that only someone with years of experience can impart, offers historical context and present-day initiatives and describes how end-of-life doulas and health-care advocates can change the face of dying wherever they choose to serve.
No doubt, Accompanying the Dying takes its place among the great works of humanity, bringing us to the next level of awareness in accompanying our family, friends and communities with skillful, loving care.
Table of Contents
PART I: Where We Are Now......................................................................................... 1
Chapter 1 Who Are the Death Workers Now?............................................................... 3
Chapter 2 Why Don’t We Just Work for Hospice?......................................................... 5
Chapter 3 The Death Trade............................................................................................. 9
Chapter 4 What Could Possibly Be Beyond Hospice?.......................................................13
Chapter 5 “I Thought I Made It Up”............................................................................. 17
Chapter 6 People Are Waking Up................................................................................. 19
Chapter 7 Who Are These People, the Others Like You?.............................................. 21
Chapter 8 Accountants and Closet Organizers............................................................. 25
Chapter 9 Hands-On Experience.................................................................................. 29
Chapter 10 Outside the System....................................................................................... 31
Chapter 11 Hospice and the End-of-Life Doula............................................................. 33
Chapter 12 The Independent End-of-Life Doula............................................................ 35
Chapter 13 One Phone Call............................................................................................. 37
PART II: How to Accompany the Dying.................................................................. 39
Chapter 14 Where Do We Begin?.................................................................................... 41
Chapter 15 When All Is Well.......................................................................................... 43
Chapter 16 Early in the Process of Illness
(Until Treatments Begin to Stop Working).................................................. 47
Chapter 17 Advanced Illness Decline (Prior to Hospice)............................................... 51
Chapter 18 The Decision for Hospice……………………………………………………….55
Chapter 19 End Days: Person on Hospice...................................................................... 61
Chapter 20 End Days: Person Not on Hospice................................................................ 63
Chapter 21 Pre-Death Vigil............................................................................................. 67
Chapter 22 Death............................................................................................................ 71
Chapter 23 Post-Death Vigil........................................................................................... 75
Chapter 24 Bereavement................................................................................................. 77
PART III: Things to Keep in Mind as an End-of-Life Doula................................ 79
Chapter 25 Care of the Doula......................................................................................... 81
Chapter 26 Dying “Organically”.................................................................................... 83
Chapter 27 It’s About Love............................................................................................. 85
Chapter 28 Fighting Death.............................................................................................. 87
Chapter 29 Denial........................................................................................................... 91
Chapter 30 The Hospital Is No Place to Die................................................................... 93
Chapter 31 Learning to Die............................................................................................. 95
Chapter 32 Antibiotics Use............................................................................................. 97
Chapter 33 Feeding Tube................................................................................................ 99
Chapter 34 Mechanical Ventilation............................................................................... 101
Chapter 35 Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Death................................................. 103
Chapter 36 Terminal Sedation...................................................................................... 105
PART IV: Do I Want to Serve My Community as an End-of-Life Doula?....... 107
Chapter 37 Assess Your Commitment.......................................................................... 109
Chapter 38 Considerations Prior to Building a Private Practice.................................. 113
PART V: Supplemental Materials............................................................................ 117
I. The Second Wave and My Story.............................................................................. 119
II. Palliative Care......................................................................................................... 123
III. Hospice………………............................................................................................. 127
IV. End-of-Life Doula Training: Credentialing and Certification ……………................. 129
V. Consumer Guide to End-of-Life Training............................................................... 131
VI. Leading Your Community....................................................................................... 138
VII. Advance Directives.................................................................................................. 139
VIII. End-of-Life Task List ............................................................................................... 140
IX. Pre-Death and Post-Death Vigil Checklists............................................................. 142
X. Accidents, Violent Death and Suicide..................................................................... 146
XI. The Sacred, Ceremony, Ritual................................................................................. 147
XII. Bereavement Support.............................................................................................. 195
XIII. Resources................................................................................................................. 150
Chapter 1 Who Are the Death Workers Now?............................................................... 3
Chapter 2 Why Don’t We Just Work for Hospice?......................................................... 5
Chapter 3 The Death Trade............................................................................................. 9
Chapter 4 What Could Possibly Be Beyond Hospice?.......................................................13
Chapter 5 “I Thought I Made It Up”............................................................................. 17
Chapter 6 People Are Waking Up................................................................................. 19
Chapter 7 Who Are These People, the Others Like You?.............................................. 21
Chapter 8 Accountants and Closet Organizers............................................................. 25
Chapter 9 Hands-On Experience.................................................................................. 29
Chapter 10 Outside the System....................................................................................... 31
Chapter 11 Hospice and the End-of-Life Doula............................................................. 33
Chapter 12 The Independent End-of-Life Doula............................................................ 35
Chapter 13 One Phone Call............................................................................................. 37
PART II: How to Accompany the Dying.................................................................. 39
Chapter 14 Where Do We Begin?.................................................................................... 41
Chapter 15 When All Is Well.......................................................................................... 43
Chapter 16 Early in the Process of Illness
(Until Treatments Begin to Stop Working).................................................. 47
Chapter 17 Advanced Illness Decline (Prior to Hospice)............................................... 51
Chapter 18 The Decision for Hospice……………………………………………………….55
Chapter 19 End Days: Person on Hospice...................................................................... 61
Chapter 20 End Days: Person Not on Hospice................................................................ 63
Chapter 21 Pre-Death Vigil............................................................................................. 67
Chapter 22 Death............................................................................................................ 71
Chapter 23 Post-Death Vigil........................................................................................... 75
Chapter 24 Bereavement................................................................................................. 77
PART III: Things to Keep in Mind as an End-of-Life Doula................................ 79
Chapter 25 Care of the Doula......................................................................................... 81
Chapter 26 Dying “Organically”.................................................................................... 83
Chapter 27 It’s About Love............................................................................................. 85
Chapter 28 Fighting Death.............................................................................................. 87
Chapter 29 Denial........................................................................................................... 91
Chapter 30 The Hospital Is No Place to Die................................................................... 93
Chapter 31 Learning to Die............................................................................................. 95
Chapter 32 Antibiotics Use............................................................................................. 97
Chapter 33 Feeding Tube................................................................................................ 99
Chapter 34 Mechanical Ventilation............................................................................... 101
Chapter 35 Euthanasia and Physician-Assisted Death................................................. 103
Chapter 36 Terminal Sedation...................................................................................... 105
PART IV: Do I Want to Serve My Community as an End-of-Life Doula?....... 107
Chapter 37 Assess Your Commitment.......................................................................... 109
Chapter 38 Considerations Prior to Building a Private Practice.................................. 113
PART V: Supplemental Materials............................................................................ 117
I. The Second Wave and My Story.............................................................................. 119
II. Palliative Care......................................................................................................... 123
III. Hospice………………............................................................................................. 127
IV. End-of-Life Doula Training: Credentialing and Certification ……………................. 129
V. Consumer Guide to End-of-Life Training............................................................... 131
VI. Leading Your Community....................................................................................... 138
VII. Advance Directives.................................................................................................. 139
VIII. End-of-Life Task List ............................................................................................... 140
IX. Pre-Death and Post-Death Vigil Checklists............................................................. 142
X. Accidents, Violent Death and Suicide..................................................................... 146
XI. The Sacred, Ceremony, Ritual................................................................................. 147
XII. Bereavement Support.............................................................................................. 195
XIII. Resources................................................................................................................. 150