DELIVERING DOULA SUPPORT TO THE UNHOUSED POPULATION
INELDA, funded by a grant from the McElhattan Foundation, is offering a free end-of-life doula training to the community of carers delivering support to the unhoused population of the city of Pittsburgh. This training teaches the INELDA Doula Approach, a three principle foundational approach utilized to support all individuals at end of life.
This curriculum has been created specifically for those who are supporting people experiencing houselessness or newly-housed folks by incorporating best practices when confronted with a serious diagnosis.
The training will allow those who support the unhoused community of Pittsburgh to respond more effectively to individuals with terminal illness in ways that will accept and honor their autonomy. This training is for all individuals who serve people who experience homelessness. This includes medical providers, hospice volunteers, social workers, street outreach workers, medical students, and people of any other relevant discipline.
This training will be held at East End Cooperative Ministry this spring on May 3rd and 4th, 2025.
Our approach incorporates self-paced prework, as well as live peer-to-peer learning space, situational learning practice, demonstrations, role plays, and slide and video content.
BENEFITS
End-of-life doulas offer an additional layer of support to those dying by complementing traditional services they may be receiving. The benefits of applying an end-of-life doula approach:
- Understand the dying person’s wishes and support their autonomy
- Capture advanced care plans and next of kin information
- Discuss end-of-life needs without bias or judgement
- Learn techniques for supporting the reprocessing of regrets, unfinished business, guilt, and shame
- Provide culturally competent care
- Enhance your own self-awareness and care approach
- Offer space and support for grieving
- Seed system change for quality deathcare for the unhoused
TRAINING DETAILS
- DATES: May 3-4
- LOCATION: East End Cooperative Ministry 6140 Station St. Pittsburgh, PA 15206
- ONLINE PREWORK: Estimated 10-12 hours
- CLASSROOM HOURS: 2 days, 8 hours each
- ONLINE POSTWORK: Estimated 3-5 hours of independent exercise & discussion forum
Deep gratitude to the McElhattan Foundation for their support and commitment to compassionate, equitable end-of-life care for all.
Thank you to our local Pittsburgh partner Bridge to the Mountains for their valuable insights and contributions to the success of this curriculum.
INTERESTED IN THE TRAINING?
Please fill out the form below to let us know your interest and your connection to providing care for the unhoused in Pittsburgh. We will follow-up with the class registration link.“The average age of death of homeless persons is about 50 years, the age at which Americans commonly died in 1900. Homeless people suffer the same illnesses experienced by people with homes, but at rates three to six times higher.”
—National Healthcare for the Homeless Council