What is an End-of-Life Doula?
An End-of-Life Doula provides compassionate, practical support for individuals nearing the end of life and their families. With a focus on comfort, dignity, and peace, I help navigate hospice and palliative care, assist with advance directives, offer companionship, and create space for a meaningful transition. Whether at home, in assisted living, or in a hospital setting, my goal is to ensure that no one faces the end of life alone.
End of Life Services
No two people experience the end of life in exactly the same way, and each journey deserves care tailored to individual needs. At Cradle to Comfort, I offer a range of services for those preparing for the future with death in mind—whether that means formalizing advance directives or providing compassionate guidance and support for individuals and families during times of transition.
Wherever you are in this process, I am here as your advocate, helping you create a personalized roadmap that honors your wishes, values, and experiences before, during, and after death.
I work alongside your healthcare team to ensure seamless, compassionate care that aligns with your vision of a peaceful passing. As an end-of-life guide, my role is to support you in achieving the kind of farewell you desire. Here are some of the ways I can help…
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End-of-life care goes beyond just planning—it’s about feeling seen, heard, and comforted in every way possible. My role is to offer holistic support that nurtures the body, mind, and spirit during this transition.
Physical Support: Ensuring comfort through gentle care, assistance with daily tasks, and creating a peaceful environment. This may include repositioning for ease, soothing touch, managing surroundings for relaxation, and providing nourishing meals.
Emotional Support: Holding space for your thoughts, fears, and reflections without judgment. I offer a compassionate presence, active listening, and reassurance to help ease anxiety, loneliness, or uncertainty.
Spiritual Support: Honoring your beliefs, values, and sense of meaning—whatever that may look like for you. This can include guided reflection, ritual creation, legacy projects, or simply being present in a way that aligns with your personal faith or spirituality.
Every journey is unique, and my goal is to provide the kind of care that brings you and your loved ones comfort, connection, and peace.
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Engaging in thoughtful discussions to help you envision your last days—how you want them to look, sound, and feel. I’ll also guide you in appointing advocates to make decisions on your behalf if you become unable to do so.
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Navigating the healthcare system and managing family dynamics can be overwhelming during such a sensitive time. I provide support by facilitating important conversations between family members and helping you prepare the right questions for healthcare providers. I’ll ensure you have the information you need to make informed, confident decisions every step of the way.
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Reflecting on your life’s journey can bring a sense of closure, fulfillment, and peace. A legacy project is simply something created with the intention of leaving a piece of yourself behind - your words, your touch, your stories, your wisdom. This process may also inspire ways to share your wisdom and legacy with loved ones. I can provide guidance for Legacy Projects and assistance with completion of projects.
Some beautiful possibilities include:
Life Story Recordings — sharing memories in your own voice
Memory Boxes — filled with letters, photos, and treasured mementos
Future Letters — to be opened on birthdays, weddings, graduations, or other milestones
Recipe Collections — passing down flavors that taste like home
Scrapbooks or Photo Albums — visual stories of a life well lived
Quilts or Handcrafted Items — stitched, painted, or carved with love
Video Montages — weaving together images, music, and moments
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Creating a plan for your final days, centered on comfort, symptom management, and loving support for both you and your family. I also offer my presence during this sacred time, holding vigil with you in your last days to provide companionship, reassurance, and a calming presence for you and your loved ones.
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I support individuals and families in creating memorials, celebrations of life, or living funerals that truly reflect your spirit and story. A living funeral can be a meaningful way to honor life before death, share messages, and say goodbye surrounded by love.
I provide compassionate guidance on cremation, traditional funerals, home funerals, green burials, and natural transitions—helping you navigate these choices with clarity and reverence. Together, we can:
Decide where and when to hold the ceremony
Create the flow or order of service
Select music, readings, or meaningful quotes
Prepare or co-write a eulogy
Coordinate with the funeral director, officiant, or caterer
Design and print service programs
Arrange décor or floral designs, if desired
Whether you are preplanning or making decisions after a loss, my role is to help you craft a gathering that feels authentic, comforting, and deeply meaningful.
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Assisting in planning for final disposition, including burial, cremation, organ donation, and other options. I’ll research and present both traditional and alternative funeral and body disposition choices, ensuring you have the information needed to make thoughtful, informed decisions.
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Offering support and referrals for you and your family from the time of a life-threatening diagnosis through the grieving process, extending well beyond your passing.
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Providing education, resources, and referrals throughout the end-of-life process to ensure you have the information and support you need.
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Caring for a loved one can be overwhelming. I offer respite services to give caregivers a much-needed break, while ensuring their loved one receives ongoing support. This includes light household assistance (laundry, tidying, dishes), errands and support (pickups, drop-offs, appointments), preparing and delivering homecooked freezer meals or onsite meals and hydration, providing emotional support, and offering a calming presence. My goal is to ease the burden on caregivers, so they can rest while their loved one is cared for with compassion.
*3-6 hour visits
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I also offer floral arrangements for vigils, memorials, and celebrations of life, bringing beauty and comfort to meaningful gatherings.
Pricing
As every individual's health and circumstances are unique, the cost of end-of-life doula services will vary. The initial consultation, which can last up to 90 minutes, is complimentary. Based on your specific needs and timeline, I will provide a customized package price, and an Agreement will be signed before we begin our work together.
For additional services, I also offer hourly options, including:
Logistical Support, Planning Assistance & Research – À la carte ($45/hr.)
Companion Care – ($30-$50/hr.)
Swedish Death Cleaning (aka decluttering and organizing) – ($40/hr.)
These services can be tailored to meet your needs, providing flexibility and support where you need it most.
*Placing a price on dignity and a peaceful and empowered transition is impossible. But my goal is for everyone to be fully supported. For that reason, I offer discounts to Veterans, ABODE and LOLA clients, and those with a financial need. If money will prevent you from having the support you need let’s have a conversation and see how we can work together.
Testimonials
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I first met Caroline when I needed a notary for my mom, who was on hospice. She was professional, kind, and quick to help—going above and beyond by answering questions, even when it wasn’t her responsibility. She surprised us by washing dishes, tidying up, and providing companionship for my mom with dementia, giving us precious moments of respite. Caroline is the “extra help” we didn’t know we needed, and her compassion and understanding have been a true blessing. I highly recommend her exceptional care.
-C.A.
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“Caroline was referred to us as an end-of-life doula by a relative. She was comforting, compassionate, and knowledgeable. She answered so many of our non-medical questions about the process of dying. It felt so reassuring to have her at our side as we went through our difficult time. She took my calls at all hours. She also helped us plan a wonderful and fitting memorial service. I wish more people knew about the services provided by end of life doulas in general and Caroline specifically. I was so pleased with the job she did that I referred her to a friend who also lost a loved one.”
-L.D.
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We’ve been so impressed and grateful for the support Caroline at Cradle to Comfort has provided for my mother-in-law, who is living with dementia. While she is not terminal, we recognized that she needed additional social support and meaningful engagement—and Caroline has truly been a gift. She brings compassion, creativity, and deep understanding to every visit. From thoughtful conversations and journaling to unique outings like the Dementia-Friendly Gardening Workshop at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens, Caroline has found beautiful ways to connect and enrich my mother-in-law’s days. Her presence has brought peace of mind to our family and joy to my mother-in-law. We can't recommend her highly enough.
-A.L.