07/10/2026
New episode of Grief and Light is available wherever you get your podcasts!
What can death teach us about living?
What if facing death honestly is how we learn to live more fully?
In this episode of Grief and Light™, Nina Rodriguez sits down with Alexander Aldarondo Jimenez, an end-of-life doula, educator, and co-founder of AMORir - Doulas de Final de Vida, Puerto Rico’s first end-of-life doula collective.
Alex shares what end-of-life doulas actually do, how their work differs from hospice and palliative care, and why so many of us feel completely unprepared for dying, death, and grief.
They also explore what it could look like to reclaim death as something we prepare for, talk about, and hold together as families and communities.
From advance directives and death education to cultural traditions, su***de awareness, and the complicated relationship between love and dying, this conversation asks us to turn toward something most of us have been taught to avoid.
IN THIS CONVERSATION
• What an end-of-life doula, or death doula, actually does
• How end-of-life doulas differ from hospice and palliative care
• Why the body knows how to die, and how families can support the process
• The four pillars of death education: social, cultural, legal, and mental
• Why every adult should consider creating an advance directive
• How AMORir is rethinking the culture, language, and symbols surrounding death in Puerto Rico
• Why so many of us feel unprepared for death and grief
• How to have nuanced conversations about su***de, awareness, and prevention
• What it means to witness without trying to fix
QUESTIONS:
What is an end-of-life doula?
An end-of-life doula is a non-medical companion who helps people prepare for dying, supports families through the process, and creates space for conversations about death, values, wishes, and legacy. Alex compares the role to a birth doula, but for endings.
What is an advance directive?
An advance directive is a legal document that communicates your medical wishes if you become unable to speak for yourself. Having one can help make your wishes clearer to the people who may need to make decisions on your behalf.
ABOUT ALEX ALDARONDO
Alexander Aldarondo Jimenez is an end-of-life doula, educator, and co-founder of AMORir, Puerto Rico’s first end-of-life doula collective.
CONTENT NOTE:
This episode includes discussion of death, dying, and su***de. It is intended for educational purposes and is not medical, legal, or mental health advice.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or su***de crisis in the U.S., call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline. Outside of the U.S., please call your nearest hospital for local resources. You may also visit findahelpline[dot]com for additional assistance.
Advance directive laws and requirements vary by location. Consult the appropriate local resources for information specific to where you live.
