As a hospice volunteer with the Athena Institute, I’ve had many valuable realizations as a premed student and just as an understanding person moving forward in my career. Many aspects of this experience enlightened me to new ways of thinking about and understanding people that I haven’t been exposed to before in my life. A … Continue reading “Something as Little as Companionship Makes a Difference”
Category: Athena Hospice Program
this is for posts in the category of Athena Hospice
Volunteering For Hospice
When I first applied to be a hospice volunteer, I didn’t think much about it other than that I wanted to volunteer in a hospital setting and that I had volunteered with the elderly population before. I didn’t realize how much I would actually end up learning over the course of the year. I learned … Continue reading “Volunteering For Hospice”
What I Learned From My Hospice Experience
Over the course of the year, I received training that allowed me to meet people through the hospice program close to my school, Bucknell University. I had one patient for a couple weeks (with winter break and the new remote learning schedule, I was unable to meet with multiple people). I definitely learned a lot … Continue reading “What I Learned From My Hospice Experience”
First Day
“I don’t think I’m ready for this,” I told myself while driving to Green Meadow nursing facility on my first day of volunteering with Holisticare. As my friends and I stepped into the facility and went through the routine of check-in and sanitization, I gathered all the courage to get ready to meet my first … Continue reading “First Day”
Understanding & Appreciating The Finites of Life
The first time walking into a patient room in a hospital as a hospice volunteer, I didn’t expect to feel as helpless with my patient as I did. Perhaps it was because as a college student, I hadn’t yet fully grasped the concept of death. Being young with dreams of a long and successful future, … Continue reading “Understanding & Appreciating The Finites of Life”
Connecting and Exploring as as Hospice Volunteer
I was assigned to one patient throughout my experience volunteering with a hospice program. Unfortunately, my time was cut short based on a slightly late start and an early ending due to the coronavirus. However, the time I was able to spend with my patient was truly eye opening. First, one of the most interesting … Continue reading “Connecting and Exploring as as Hospice Volunteer”
Finding Life in Dying Times
I followed the Project Leader down the brightly lit hallways of the nursing home, beaming what I hoped was a warm smile at those we passed and anxiously gripping the lanyard hanging around my neck. It wasn’t my first time at a nursing home—I had spent two years volunteering in one during my high school … Continue reading “Finding Life in Dying Times”
Planning and Impermanence
Death has only begun to affect my life in the last few years. Prior, I rarely thought about death and what it entailed, and I felt detached when others would talk about the passing of their loved ones. However, I began to think more about death when my grandpa was dying in the hospital during … Continue reading “Planning and Impermanence”
The End-of-Life Journey as a Companion
Reflecting on my experiences as a volunteer with Ascend Hospice, I am moved by a vast range of emotions and sentiments: namely, grief for the patients I can no longer visit, gratitude for the stories I have had the privilege of unearthing, and compassion for the patients and families facing difficult decisions and experiences in … Continue reading “The End-of-Life Journey as a Companion”
Truly Caring
The relationship I built with my hospice patient took time, as most relationships do, but overall, it was quite enjoyable. At first, my patient appeared angry upon our meeting and just wanted to sleep—that is, until I started reading his book to him. Once the first reading began, he propped up and seemed to be … Continue reading “Truly Caring”