Our guest speaker for Friday, September 26th was Cassidy Bastian representing the Death Cafe. The speaker is an end-of-life doula, detailing their role in guiding and educating families, similar to a birth doula. They host monthly “Death Cafes” to provide a safe space for discussion about death and inform about legal end-of-life choices.
There is no regular governing body for end-of-life doulas which can be a challenge. And a significant unresolved issue is the absence of a formal governing body for end-of-life doula professionals. There are no established standards, for practice, certification, or professional conduct which hinders standardization and public trust which are many of the challenges.