“My vision is to be someone who can be called upon, who builds connections, and creates a stronger social web of health in my community. I plan to volunteer with hospice with this education I’ve received, and I plan to be a voice for end-of-life care in public health and community health improvement planning. I think this grassroots work is the only authentic way to create sustainable change in how we care for each other and how we die. ”
Oregon rural end-of-life doula initiative
The Peaceful Presence Project reimagines the way communities talk about, plan for and experience the last stage of life. We are cultivating the Compassionate Communities Model of Care in the United States in an effort to expand death literacy and improve end-of-life experiences for all.
In our society, discussing terminal illness and death is generally avoided. As a result, even with hospice care, dying individuals and their loved ones sometimes do not have the support that they would wish for in their final days and hours.
Especially in rural communities, access to palliative care, including hospice, can be limited or non-existent. This can lead to broad disparities in end-of-life care. Trained end-of-life doulas who are embedded in rural communities can make a tremendous difference and fill in gaps not covered by hospice by providing support and skilled interventions to under-supported individuals. End-of-life doulas are able to provide lay knowledge as a complement to, and in collaboration with, professional medical end-of-life care. This makes them skilled conduits in that they are able to connect people to resources, as well as navigate between the different challenges that oftentimes accompany end of life experiences. Their involvement can encourage more equity-informed, culturally-centered, and relationship-oriented care.
A. FALL 2024, Rural Central Oregon: Fall Course Dates : September 18, 2024 - November 6, 2024
This 8-week training for end-of-life doulas residing in rural Deschutes, Crook, Jefferson and North Klamath Counties is supported with funding from the Wheeler Foundation. There is no tuition for selected applicants. APPLICATION PERIOD HAS NOW CLOSED
Participants will learn the doula model of care, network with other trainees across the state, and cultivate a plan for providing support in their home communities for individuals living with serious and terminal illness. This course requires 6-10 hours of your time per week, including self-study time and Zoom meetings. There will be a total of 4 required zoom meetings during your course that will happen on Wednesday afternoons, from 12:00-1:30 pm Pacific Time on the following dates: September 18, October 2, October 16, and October 30. The course material will open to you and you will begin your studies on Wednesday, September 11th with Module #1, so you have a full week of learning prior to our first live zoom session together on September 18th. The in person immersion day will take place on Wednesday, November 6, 2024. Location TBD in Deschutes County. Application cycle closes on August 12, 2024. Applicants will be notified by August 19.
APPLICATION PERIOD HAS NOW CLOSED
For an overview of the curriculum, please click HERE to visit the page for our professional training course.
If you have additional questions about the program, please write to info@thepeacefulpresenceproject.org
B. Rural Oregon: EOL Doula Training for Community Health Workers:
Fall Course Dates : September 12, 2024 - November 7, 2024
This 8-week training for CHWs residing across rural Oregon is sponsored by the Healthy Rural Oregon Program with the Oregon Coalition of Local Health Officials (CLHO). There is no tuition for selected applicants.
This course requires 6-10 hours of your time per week, including self-study time and Zoom meetings. There will be a total of 4 required zoom meetings during your course that will happen on Thursday afternoons, from 12:00-1:30 pm Pacific Time on the following dates: September 19, October 3, October 17, and November 7th. The course material will open to you and you will begin your studies on Thursday, September 12th with Module #1, so you have a full week of learning prior to our first live zoom session together on September 19th. Registration closes on August 27, 2024.
INTERESTED INDIVIDUALS for the CLHO CHW Doula training , please fill out this form to apply.
