Founded in 2015, the International End-of-Life Doula Association is a member-based nonprofit dedicated to meeting the non-medical needs of the dying by raising awareness of end-of-life doulas’ roles and providing education to support compassionate deathcare with the vision that “all individuals have accessible, equitable, and compassionate deathcare that holistically affirms one’s humanity and supports end-of-life choices.” INELDA has trained over 9,000 doulas globally through comprehensive curricula delivered by passionate educators with experience in hospice, nursing, psychotherapy, and supporting the dying across diverse settings including ICU units, private homes, AIDS service organizations, and other care environments. The organization offers End-of-Life Doula Training for individuals worldwide, Care Provider Doula training for facilities, and Hospice Doula Training for those supporting loved ones, while assisting hospices, palliative care services, hospitals, and communities in establishing doula programs. INELDA is particularly committed to supporting traditionally underserved populations, providing grants for incarcerated individuals to care for fellow inmates, offering pro bono training to hospices serving people experiencing homelessness, and participating in research to address service gaps for unhoused individuals who are terminally ill and unable to access compassionate end-of-life care.
Why this matters: INELDA addresses the reality that dying is often medicalized and depersonalized in modern healthcare systems, training doulas to provide the emotional, spiritual, and practical support that helps people die with dignity while ensuring that marginalized populations receive the same compassionate care as those with greater resources and access.
