What an end-of-life doula does
An end-of-life doula is a trained, non-medical companion for a person who is dying and for the people who love them. Doctors, nurses and hospice care for the body. I care for the human experience around it.
3 ways I support your family
Every family is different. Some need someone to help them talk; some need someone to explain what is happening; some need someone to sit through the night. Most need a little of each.
Emotional and spiritual support
A steady, calm presence for your loved one and for the whole family. Listening, comfort, prayer or silence, whatever brings peace.
- Companionship and comfort visits
- Help with fear, guilt and anticipatory grief
- Legacy work: letters, recorded stories, memory books
Guidance and preparation
Help with the conversations and decisions that feel too heavy to begin, so your loved one’s wishes are known and honored.
- Wishes, values and advance directive conversations
- Gently guided family meetings
- Planning how the final days should look and feel
- Explaining what to expect as the body prepares
Presence at the bedside
Sitting vigil in the final hours and days, so no one is alone and the family can rest.
- Vigil planning: music, lighting, prayer, readings, visitors
- Bedside presence by day or overnight
- Respite for exhausted caregivers
- Support in the hours and weeks after a death
“I’m not a nurse, and I don’t replace hospice care. What I do is something quieter.”
I work alongside your hospice team, your doctors and your faith community. I don’t give medical, legal or financial advice, and I’ll always point you to the right professional when you need one. What I add is unhurried time: someone who knows what dying usually looks like, who can explain it gently, and who stays.
Watch Judy explain her role at the bedside, and how it differs from hospice (65 seconds).
When families understand what is happening, fear softens into presence.
Because we rarely talk about dying, families are often frightened when the changes begin: more sleep, softer and shorter conversations, longer silences. These changes are natural. The body knows how to make this transition.
I explain gently what you are seeing, what usually comes next, and how you can simply be there with love. When you know what to expect, you can focus on what really matters.
Where I work
In homes, hospice houses, hospitals, assisted living and memory care communities across Central Florida, including Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Lake and Volusia counties. Families who live elsewhere can work with me by phone and video. confirm area
- Every faith, or none. Your loved one’s beliefs guide everything I do.
- In English and in Spanish, for the person and for every member of the family.
- Alongside your hospice team, following their plan of care.
- For as long as you need me: a single conversation, a few visits, or the whole journey.