Another Layer of Care: How End-of-Life Doulas Support Individuals, Families & Care Teams

Kelsie Thomas is a doula in Sioux Falls with over a decade of experience as a DONA-certified birth doula. Nearly eight years ago, she expanded her work to include transitional and end-of-life care, completing training through the International End of Life Doula Association (INELDA) to provide compassionate, non-medical support to individuals and families experiencing aging, serious illness, grief, and end of life. Holding a B.S. in Health Sciences, Kelsie supports individuals and families through many of life’s major transitions—including pregnancy, birth, aging, and death—through education, advocacy, and personalized care. She has built and expanded Transitions: Doula and Life Services in Sioux Falls and serves as Board President of South Dakota Doulas, a statewide nonprofit advancing maternal health equity through program development, legislative advocacy, systems-building, and community partnerships to increase access to doula services and improve outcomes for families across South Dakota.

Jayme Nelson serves as the Bereavement Coordinator for Sanford Hospice, where she supports individuals and families as they navigate grief. Additionally, she provides bereavement education, resources, and compassionate guidance, while also supporting hospice staff through training, debriefing, and emotional care practices. She is the founder of Blue Heron Doula Services, through which she extends her work as an end-of-life doula to community-based support for individuals and families facing serious illness, death, and bereavement. With a background as a chaplain and end-of-life doula training, Jayme brings a trauma-informed, relationship-centered approach that honors emotional, spiritual, and practical needs at the end of life, and is committed to interdisciplinary collaboration that supports meaningful, holistic care.