Death is not extinguishing the light; it is only putting out the lamp because the dawn has come.
Chinese Proverb
End of Life support and Death Care Planning
My objective as end-of-life support is to enrich the dying experience for clients and their loved ones and fill a gap in health care in which there is often no time to deal with the emotional and holistic needs of those involved.
I try to fill this gap by providing non-judgemental comfort care and support while being sensitive to cultural and religious norms and values allowing those directly involved to not become overloaded and have the time and space to focus on saying goodbye together, experiencing the end of life and death that is most meaningful to them.
My role is non-medical with a focus on preserving the quality of wellbeing through personal support and care. I can be there at any stage during the end-of-life journey, starting at the beginning when a person has received a life limiting diagnosis through to the final months and weeks.
I provide patience, compassion, a sense of humour, kindness and a solid core of stability and calm when faced with the anguish of the loss of our own life or a loved one. The dying person and those they love are at the very core of all I do.
“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will” – Chuck Palahniuk .