An Editor, 64, Says a Job Offer Was $30,000 Short—Now She's Training as a Death Doula

A 64-year-old woman from Vermont has turned to training as a death doula after applying for 181 jobs following her redundancy in August 2025.

Kimberley Reynolds, who previously managed an editorial team, described her career change in an interview published on Saturday, 24 October 2026, after spending more than a year trying to return to her profession.

The decision followed a prolonged job search that produced several interviews but no suitable position. Reynolds told People magazine that her frustration with the employment market eventually prompted her to consider an entirely different line of work, supporting people approaching the end of their lives.

Before losing her job, Reynolds worked for a healthcare and wellness company, overseeing six employees responsible for blogs, newsletters and email content.

Their work focused on adults aged 60 and above, covering subjects including nutrition, mental health and maintaining muscle mass.

She believes the experience may have quietly influenced her interest in ageing, mortality and end-of-life care long before she considered becoming a death doula.

Death Doula Career Beckons After 181 Unsuccessful Job Applications

Reynolds was made redundant in August 2025 and initially hoped to find another editorial position. She joined a job-search council, attended meetings and completed exercises intended to help participants assess their professional strengths.

Despite applying for 181 positions, her efforts yielded little progress. One promising interview resulted in an offer, but Reynolds discovered that the salary was $30,000 (£22,431) lower than advertised. She declined the position.

As the months passed, she began reconsidering whether another conventional editorial job was the right answer. Her eventual choice was unusual.

Rather than pursuing another communications role, Reynolds enrolled in a two-month course preparing people to provide non-medical support to those nearing death.

She had previously read a book about grief and an article about death doulas in The New Yorker. Both helped bring the profession to her attention.

A death doula, sometimes called an end-of-life doula, offers companionship, emotional reassurance and practical support to dying individuals and their families. The role is distinct from the medical care provided by doctors and nurses.

Reynolds began her course in August 2026, although she initially questioned whether her personality suited such sensitive work.

She acknowledged that offering unconditional acceptance did not always come naturally. Working with dying people, however, appeared to require a different kind of empathy from everyday personal interactions.

After completing the programme, she attended an orientation for hospice volunteers. The atmosphere surprised her.

Rather than finding the environment overwhelmingly bleak, Reynolds described the meeting as positive and uplifting. She even compared its emotional atmosphere with the experience of being in a maternity ward.

Still, she recognised that hospice volunteering and working independently as a death doula would involve different responsibilities.

Volunteers, she explained, may have limited contact with patients, particularly when beginning their placements. More experienced volunteers can sometimes take on additional duties.

For Reynolds, observing how hospice staff communicate with patients and families offers an opportunity to develop her confidence before establishing a business.

Why Becoming a Death Doula Holds Personal Meaning for Reynolds

The career change also has roots in a painful family experience. Around a decade ago, Reynolds was present when her brother died from pancreatic cancer. She recalled remaining calm as relatives struggled to accept that his life was ending.

Reynolds said she supported her sister-in-law, held her brother's hand and observed what happened after his death. The experience subsequently influenced how she understood the emotional needs of dying people and their families.

Her response did not mean the situation was easy. Rather, she believed she had accepted the reality of her brother's condition in a way that allowed her to offer reassurance.

That memory has become particularly relevant as she considers the demands of end-of-life work.

Reynolds believes supporting relatives may prove more complicated than assisting dying patients themselves. Family members can experience anger, fear and conflicting emotions, creating situations that require patience and careful communication.

One lesson from her training has stayed with her. Known as 'unconditional positive regard', the principle encourages approaching another person without assumptions or judgement.

Reynolds said she now tries to apply that approach beyond her professional training, including in ordinary daily interactions.

She has also joined a Facebook community for end-of-life doulas, where members exchange information about the profession.

For now, Reynolds intends to continue volunteering at the hospice while gaining practical experience. She hopes eventually to establish a full-time death doula business with guidance from her course instructor.

She has even considered training to support owners facing the deaths of their pets, although her emotional attachment to animals makes that prospect difficult.

Her immediate focus remains on hospice work, where she is learning how volunteers fit into the wider care environment and how families navigate the final stages of a loved one's life.