Group training discounts, doula program start-up, HELP WANTED (December Newsletter)

Thanksgiving SALE continues through Cyber Monday.

Save 25% on your selection of doula training(s). Use Coupon Code = BlackFriday25. This is our best price on doula training you will see! New purchases only; cannot be combined with other discount offers. Sale ends at 12am on December 3rd.

NEW!
Do you work for a hospice, hospital, community-based group, or home care agency?

Are you looking to get your staff or volunteers trained as doulas or to start a doula program? We are now offering a variety of training options and supports to increase the availability of doulas serving families across the lifespan.

• Group Discounts. Bring together a minimum of six participants and receive a 30% discount on the price of doula training. 
• Hybrid Doula Training. Our hybrid program features a combination of self-paced study and live, interactive learning. Choose an in-person or virtual (on Zoom) one-day workshop. Host a doula training for your organization at our group discount rate.
• Start a Doula Program. Are you thinking of integrating doulas into your practice or organization as employees, contract workers, or volunteers? We can help create a model program to meet your goals. 
• Customized Solutions. Training looks a bit different for care provider organizations and clinical care teams. Emphasis is placed on applying skills in a care team model rather than establishing an independent doula practice. 
• Train the Trainer. Become a Lifespan Doulas affiliated doula trainer. Enable your staff to keep evolving your program while doula trainees earn certification through Lifespan Doulas. Coming Spring 2025!
• Discovery Call. Schedule a complimentary 30-minute consultation with doula expert Patty Brennan to explore your organization’s training needs and how we can help.

End-of-Life Doula Resources

Pediatric Palliative Care Coalition publishes a Self-Advocacy Toolkit and other resources for caregivers, parents, children, and adolescents. 

Hospice Inclusion & Ongoing Care of Companion Animals. This informative webinar by interspecies counselor Judy Ramsey is now available for viewing online. Judy advocates that pet owners include plans for the future care of beloved pets in their wills, similar to an advance directive. See her list of Resources for Animal Companions and Their People.

The National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization has published the NHPCO Facts and Figures 2024, providing an annual overview of hospice care delivery, including specific information on:

• Hospice patient characteristics
• Location and level of care
• Medicare hospice spending
• Hospice provider characteristics
• Quality of care

P.S. These statistics can be useful for doula initiatives and grant opportunities to establish the need for your proposed solution.

Tips for Getting Clients Comfortable in Bed at the End of Life. Blog on palliative positioning tips by Cindy Spence. Palliative positioning has the power to reduce a pain score dramatically, and it’s a skill that anyone can learn. As a massage therapist working in hospice care, Cindy uses simple techniques to help people get comfortable. It starts with taking the work out of lying down.

Help Wanted at Lifespan Doulas

I am looking to hire someone to help with marketing and social media.

• Part-time independent contractor position
• Co-create the work flow for upcoming events and projects
• Work from home approximately 5 hours per week
• Familiarity with Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram desired
• Graphic design/meme design a plus

The ideal person is a doula or at a minimum has a feel for the doula world, has an eye for detail, and “gets” what Lifespan Doulas is all about. If interested, please complete the Contractor Application and submit it by December 15, 2024.

Do you have questions before investing in doula training?

We have answers! Join doula trainer and author Patty Brennan for a FREE Webinar on the role of the doula, services offered, income potential, doula lifestyle, training considerations, professional certification, and more! Register now for your webinar of choice:

• Top 5 Questions about Becoming a Birth or Postpartum Doula on December 10 (Tuesday, 7:30–8:30pm EST)
• Top 5 Questions about Becoming an End-of-Life Doula on December 12 (Thursday, 7:30–8:30pm EST)

OR watch a recording of last month’s webinar. Patty is also available for a private conversation and welcomes a personal connection if that would be helpful for you (734-663-1523).

Sources for cesarean rates (and other statistics) 

The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit watchdog organization that serves as a voice for health care consumers and purchasers, using their collective influence to foster positive change in U.S. health care. Leapfrog is the nation’s premier advocate of transparency in health care—collecting, analyzing, and disseminating data to promote informed decision-making. For example, in 2023, the national average c-section rate was highest for Black infants at 36.8%. See what’s going on in hospitals in your area. 

P.S. These statistics can be useful for doula initiatives and grant opportunities to establish the need for your proposed solution.

Navigating the Deathcare Regulatory World

The National End-of-Life Doula Alliance (NEDA) recently presented this webinar as a member benefit. It focused on regulations that govern deathcare throughout the U.S. and related implications for end-of-life doulas and their practices. The primary take-away message focused on the definition of “funeral director” and what is meant by “funeral arrangements.” These terms are highly regulated and doulas should research related law in the states where they are practicing. A doula is most likely to be in violation of federal regulations when selling both merchandise (e.g., woven basket for green burial) and services (e.g., funeral planning). Each state has its own regulatory board.