Hello, End-of-Life Community!
by Doug Simpson
Over the past few years, our field has grown significantly, and I am hoping to learn about what each of you is working on! It is my desire to create more dialogue among all of us working in the end-of-life space. Here’s what INELDA has been up to so far in 2022.
INELDA continues to grow its learning offerings. This year we have introduced an End-of-life Doula Training Refresher, plus three new classes: Navigating Dementia, Going Deeper Grief, and Decolonizing Deathcare, along with more than a half-dozen workshops.
Our core end-of-life training was originally founded on a three-phase model. We are now shifting away from this original model to an approach that focuses on foundational principles rooted in a multifaceted human experience. Doulas show up in many ways, and this new approach is created to reflect the service of all doulas and how we sit within that role. We invite those of you who have trained with us to come back and explore this approach. For those of you considering taking training for the first time, I invite you to learn more about our end-of-life doula training.
INELDA’s evolution from being a founder-led organization to a board-led one is also shaping our outlook, approach, and priorities. This evolution is only made possible by the new voices and lived experience of the Board of Trustees members along with educators within the organization. We continue to seek additional board members and invite those of you who may be interested to apply.
Thanks to our BIPOC and Pride councils, we have seen an expansive offering of articles and webinars focusing on diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice issues throughout our community. Our next steps are to create a new path of inclusivity and community work. Later this year, we will be creating a Community Council, which will further reflect the communities we currently serve, as well as ones that we hope to serve in the future. We aim to have a representative council to steer us on issues raised by you and our community at large.
More than ever, INELDA is committed to forming partnerships, engaging in collaborations, and supporting organizations working with under-reached communities. Your membership dollars and donations allow us to continue financial support for end-of-life care programs, such as our scholarship program and our recent grant work with the Humane Prison Hospice Project.
INELDA outreach continues as Jamie engages with the University of Pittsburgh to bring end-of-life care to African American women with metastasized breast cancer. Kris is preparing to provide end-of-life doula training to the volunteers at Joshua’s House, as well as to work on protocol development for providers serving the unhoused. And I’m partnering with organizations around North America to expand INELDA’s involvement with relevant policy issues.
Some of our newest organizational memberships include Goals of Care Coalition of New Jersey, Coalition for Compassionate Care of California, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, and the American Society on Aging. We also continue to support NEDA and the NHPCO through memberships.
We have heard your feedback and are actively working on expanded member benefits to provide you discounted services that can be used with your clients and loved ones. We are also working to make INELDA classes and membership accessible to all. In the past year, 10% of our learners received a scholarship, and we hope to increase the number a year from today.
As we move forward, I am hopeful we can find new ways to collaborate and connect. There are more end-of-life trainers and organizations than when I was trained, only four years ago. I am moved by the opportunity to have a hand in how we come together to advance the field we all so passionately believe in.