Quinlan Care Concepts, which includes the Karen Ann Quinlan Home for Hospice and the Joseph T. Quinlan Bereavement Center, has introduced Quinlan Care Navigators.
The program is managed by end-of-life care professionals (EOLDs), who provide non-medical support to those affected and their families in preparing for the end of life.
The EOLDs are graduates of the International Doula Life Movement (IDLM).
Their services cost up to $25 per hour depending on client needs.
Participants do not need to be enrolled in the Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice or Quinlan Palliative Care programs to use the service – it is open to anyone.
The Karen Ann Quinlan Friends of Hospice, a philanthropic group, provided the funds for the training and certification of program participants. Certification included more than 70 hours of specialized training.
After two training cycles, the Navigators program will be staffed with more than 20 IDLM-trained EOLDs.
In 2025, additional training will be offered to staff, volunteers and those in the community interested in the program.
“This is our way of giving back to the community that has supported us for over 44 years,” said Lee Ellison, the organization’s marketing and media director and EOLD of the Navigators.
“End-of-life companions bridge gaps in care and can help create legacies, plan wakes, conduct guided visualizations, and lend a helping hand when needed.”
EOLDs also provide emotional support, which includes companionship and support for the dying person and their families, helping them cope with their feelings and fears related to death.
“We also help with practical matters by providing information about end-of-life options and facilitating communication between loved ones,” Ellison said.
“We can start as soon as someone wants to talk about their death and develop advance directives or end-of-life wishes. We can also offer support when someone is no longer conscious to help their loved ones understand the process, teach them what dying looks like, and then stay with them afterward to talk about the grieving process.”
Services provided by EOLDs may also include legacy projects, such as assisting in the creation of memory books, stories or records designed to preserve memories, reflect life experiences and leave a lasting message honoring the person’s life and values.
An EOLD represents the interests of the patient and his family. He explains the dying process and what to expect, while empowering him to make informed decisions.
EOLDs in the Navigators program personalize support based on individual needs, beliefs, and desires about how people want to experience the end of life.
For information about the Quinlan Care Concepts Navigators EOLD program, call 973-506-8233 or visit QuinlanCare.org/Navigators.
Quinlan Care Concepts/Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice is a nonprofit organization that provides a comprehensive range of medical, emotional and spiritual services to hospice patients, their families and the community.
