"If I had one wish of what the healthcare system knew about end of life doulas, it would be that if you embed end of life doulas into your healthcare settings, not as healthcare professionals, but as social emotional supports that their job would be a lot easier. People would be aware of advanced care plans, and people would be aware of actually just thinking through what they want. Families would be more educated, so families would be calmer and more understanding, and they would know what the death process looked like... together we could really help each other."

Jennifer Mallmes has worked as a caregiver and advocate for quality end of life care in Canada for over 25 years. She has worked extensively in community home care, finding deep purpose in supporting individuals to remain at home as they near the end of life. Jennifer is the co-founder of the End of Life Doula Association of Canada, and the creator and lead instructor of both the End of life Doula program and the Indigenous End of Life Guide program at Douglas College. Jennifer's passion is rooted in the belief that all individuals should have the right to self-determination in their end of life care. Through her work, she strives to ensure that people are empowered to consciously live and die with dignity, choice, and compassion.

Douglas College End of Life Doula program

End of Life Doula Association of Canada

Learn more about the Strengthening a Palliative Approach to Long-Term Care project at: https://spaltc.ca/