Alicia Pinnock
My name is Alicia Pinnock. I am a Certified End-of-Life Doula, Elder Care Specialist, Care Consultant through Doulagivers Institute, and Advance Care Planning Facilitator through Respecting Choices. I am certified to work with Dementia and Parkinson’s patients and am a Licensed CNA in Virginia. With over 14 years of experience working with Hospice patients and their families, and over three years working as an End-of-Life Doula, I feel that I bring a unique skill-set that will support my clients and their loved ones.
My first experience with death was walking beside a close friend on her end-of-life journey. Once she was medically identified as terminal, her family and friends were left to help her through her last chapter. Thankfully the hospice team helped the family and myself through the process and I am so grateful for them. Based on my experience during this time, I knew that this was my calling.
Since then, I have made it my mission to learn and understand all aspects of the dying process and how we can make it a better experience. Let’s face it, we are all going to go through it, why not make it as beautiful as our births into this world? Let’s celebrate and embrace the time we’ve had on this earth.
I’ve worked with hospice for 14 years, then branched out on my own once I completed my End-of-Life Doula training. In hospice, I started as a CNA, then was promoted to be the Volunteer Coordinator. I loved working with our patients and their families. I have never had a job where you are always appreciated and receive lots of hugs and kisses. I have met some amazing people and love listening to their stories, being a shoulder to cry on, and watching families come together in a time of need. I found through education and preparation, for what to expect, helped everyone be more comfortable and to not be afraid to care for their dying loved one.
Through my hospice experience, I felt pulled to become an End-of-Life Doula. I always felt that we needed to take more control over our own end-of-life experience and not be a medical experiment or assume the doctor always knows the right answers. We have choices, and we need to know what questions that need to be asked when we are diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. Having an End-of-Life Doula can be the extra layer of support that is needed. Let’s walk this journey together, heads held high, and embrace the unknown.
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