The "midwife" is a profession that everyone knows is associated with the beginning of a person's life, but in Switzerland and France it has begun to take another turn, this time linked to the end of life, as many people prefer to resort to the services of "Thanadola" to accompany them in the last stage of their lives.
The French newspaper Le Monde said that this profession has begun to spread recently in France, and the “Doy Doula” institute was established - and it has been recognized since the beginning of 2022 - to train specialists in this field, indicating that Switzerland has made great strides in this new profession.
thanadula
The word "dola" is of Greek origin, meaning "handmaid," and "thana," meaning death.
The former Swiss nurse, Rosette Politi (85 years), who heads an association of specialists in this profession in Switzerland, confirmed in her interview with Le Monde that “Althanadola” does not belong to the world of medicine, and does not carry out any medical tasks, but rather its role is to provide psychological and spiritual support to the dying, as well as Facilitate communication between them and the medical staff or even with their family members.
She added that the "Thanadola" profession still does not enjoy an official framework as a job in Switzerland, so her association suffices to grant certificates to trainees, stressing that the "feminization" of the job is not a necessary condition.
One last wish
Rosette explained that many families do not like to talk to the dying person about death, while he needs to talk about such topics with people who do not have family relationships or feelings that prevent them from delving into this thorny topic.
In addition, the family itself needs someone to help it deal with reality with courage and strength against the overflowing feelings that overwhelm the idea of losing a family member.
In response to a question about her benefit from the "Thanadola" service, Rosette said - laughing - that she hopes to live long, but she dealt with the idea of death in a realistic administrative manner and was legally prepared for that.
And she said that she did not think that she would benefit from the "Al-Thanadola" service, indicating that her loved ones among the medical assistants with whom she lived would come to stand with her in her last moments out of love.