END OF LIFE PLANNING, ADVOCACY & CARE

If it takes a village to raise a child, it certainly takes one at the other end of life to “die well”.

As an end-of-life doula, I can walk alongside a person, their family and friends to help with end-of-life planning, advocacy and care.

Death doulas are not medically trained. We complement the care provided by medical and allied health professionals, including doctors and palliative care specialists.

I am comfortable talking about death and dying and knowledgeable about processes such as Advanced Care Planning, Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) and how to support someone to die at home. I can provide continuity of care and fill in the gaps between different specialities and care providers during the dying process.

I can provide care and support to people and their families in their home (including aged care homes), hospital, hospice or remotely (via phone and video calls).

ABOUT ME

WHO

I am a social scientist by training and lived and worked in a number of countries in Asia-Pacific, benefitting from learning about different cultures, customs and worldviews. I have also lived with chronic fatigue and pain since I was a teenager, spending long periods of time bed bound or house bound. I am passionate about understanding people’s unique needs and perspectives and supporting them to have agency over their lives.

WHY

I know what it is like to lose mobility and independence and struggle to access appropriate care. I believe no one should die alone (unless that is their wish). I had the privilege of caring for my Dad at home at the end of his life, and supporting him to access Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD). I am a palliative care volunteer and together with my dog, Phil, I am a volunteer visitor in aged care facilities, with Delta Dogs. These experiences have shaped my interest and passion to support people to feel seen, heard, and cared for as they manage chronic or life-limiting illness or approach the end of life.

Andrea is dedicated to helping people live meaningful lives. She believes that everyone should feel heard, cared for, and at peace as they approach the end of life. Drawing on her personal experience and training as an End-of-Life doula, she can support people and their families to clarify what’s important to them, navigate the health and palliative care systems, and understand end of life care options - including dying at home and accessing Voluntary Assisted Dying, if desired.

EDUCATION

In addition to my formal education as a social scientist, my personal attributes and lived experience, I have also completed the following training courses with noted end-of-life practitioners:

End of Life Doula Training: Foundation Course (1 day/9 hours) – Helen Callanan, Preparing the Way
Death Doula training (10 weeks/40 hrs) – Denis Love, Life Options
Deathwalker training (3 days/20 hours) – Zenith Virago

In my work as a death doula, I am committed to life-long learning and ethical practice. I am a member of Holistic End of Life and Death Care Australia (HELD) and adhere to their Code of Conduct. I collaborate with local End-of-Life doulas as part of the Melbourne Inner North End-of-Life Doula Hub and host death cafes and other events to increase death literacy.

Compassionate

Ethical
Respectful
Open-minded and non-judgemental
Inclusive (religion, culture, gender, sexual orientation, neurodiversity)
Comfortable talking about, and being around, death and dying

I AM…

RESOURCES

Coming soon…