NEWS PHOTO GILLIAN SLADE
Local resident Heather Midder has trained to offer end-of-life services, which range from practical help to addressing life's regrets and perhaps making things right with people before you pass away.
gslade@medicinehatnews.com@MHNGillianSlade
Death is a normal part of life but it can be complicated, and now there are people trained to help at the end stages of life and in preparing for this.
Local resident Heather Midder calls herself an end-of-life “doula.”
After 20 years working as a health-care aid in palliative care she decided to specialize and went for training in B.C. for her current role.
“My purpose is to make a difference in someone’s life,” said Midder.
End-of-life services may be on a practical level helping someone ensure that a will is in place, a medical directive in addition to a list of other things to consider. Midder can provide information on those practicalities that need to be organized.
For others, even though death may be months or years away, there is a need to discuss the fears they have around death and get some questions answered.
Then there are the final days of life. Some people may become aware of regrets in life or feel the need to make things right with specific people. Midder says they may need reassurance that what they want to say is OK. In some cases they ask her to prepare the person for what they would like to say.
If there is no family support available, or if requested she will be at the patient’s bedside at the end of life.
“First and foremost you’re there for the dying patient,” said Midder.
She believes this type of service is currently only offered in three provinces in Canada. She also believes her personal life’s journey prompted her to seek this training and certification
Her first child, a daughter, Jennifer Evans, was ill from the beginning and then diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. About every five years there would be a health crisis for Evans and they had to confront death. She passed away at the age of 20, nine years ago.
“If it wasn’t for her I don’t know where I would have been now,” said Midder, who believes her daughter mentored her in the process and had an incredible understanding of death and was completely at peace about dying.
Midder says sometimes people are not really sure why they are afraid of aging and of death but asking the right kind of questions can help them identify this and then address it.
Even someone who has decided to choose Medical Assistance In Dying may benefit from an end-of-life doula, said Midder.
There are meet-and-greet consultations for people who would like to consider Midder’s services. For more information call 403-866-6348 or email her at majesticrainbowbutterfly@yahoo.com.
