One of my most meaningful hospice relationships came late into my Athena journey, as many of our patients in the beginning were sadly transitioning. Although I haven’t spent as much time with them as I would like, I still feel as though a relationship was made. My patient and I were quiet together, as she … Continue reading “Final Athena Hospice Care Reflection”
Moments that Matter
One of the most meaningful relationships I formed during my hospice volunteering was with a patient I will call “Mrs. Thompson.” When I first started visiting patients, I was not sure what my role would be. I did not want to bother patients and was scared that my presence was a source of annoyance instead … Continue reading “Moments that Matter”
Mortality & Morality: My Hospice Volunteerism Experience
Through the Athena Hospice Volunteer Program, I was fortunate to spend meaningful time with two patients. The first was a patient suffering from cardiac and neurological complications, who shared inspirational experiences with me. She expressed how, in her early life, she pursued higher education and became the first occupational therapist at her hospital. After settling … Continue reading “Mortality & Morality: My Hospice Volunteerism Experience”
The enlightenment of hospice care
This past semester, I only had one hospice patient, “X.” She is an amazing woman; she has trouble remembering me sometimes, but we still talk about her childhood, especially the farm she grew up on. She is in her early 90s and lives in the memory care section at a care home for seniors. We … Continue reading “The enlightenment of hospice care”
Leaving Space for Silence
The patient I visited for the duration of the program was an easy-going, humble, and soft-spoken 92-year old woman with protein calorie malnutrition. Our visits early on included discussions of her owl collection, our shared love of skiing, and the weather outside that day. As I kept visiting, it seemed like our conversations became less … Continue reading “Leaving Space for Silence”
TEN MORE MINUTES: REFLECTIONS FROM HOSPICE VOLUNTEERING
It’s 10 a.m. on a Sunday morning. I’m tired, thinking about the assignments waiting for me later that night. It has been a stressful week. But at this very moment, I am present, in the dining room of the memory care unit, and “E” (pseudonym for my patient) is sitting by my side. “E’s” got … Continue reading “TEN MORE MINUTES: REFLECTIONS FROM HOSPICE VOLUNTEERING”
How Hospice Changed My Understanding of Patient Care
Through my experience as a Hospice volunteer over the past year, I have connected with my patients, grown in my understanding of what patient care truly means, and I recognize myself as a more well-rounded pre-medical student. I have been seeing my current patient since August of last year and have grown quite fond of … Continue reading “How Hospice Changed My Understanding of Patient Care”
Eleanor’s Melody
During my time volunteering at my hospice care site, specifically in the memory care unit, one of my most meaningful patient relationships was with a woman I will call “Eleanor” (this is a pseudonym). “Eleanor” lived in the memory care unit and had significant difficulty communicating verbally, she could only ever get a few words … Continue reading “Eleanor’s Melody”
A New Perspective: My Growth & Experience as A Hospice Volunteer
Engaging in the Athena Pre-Med Hospice Volunteering Program has been an incredibly humbling and eye-opening experience that has helped shape the way I view patient care. Working with hospice patients has both confirmed my desire to go into medicine and shown me some of the emotional challenges that come along with caring for the sick … Continue reading “A New Perspective: My Growth & Experience as A Hospice Volunteer”
The Importance of Being Present
As I reflect on my patient relationships, I can distinctly recall the first memory care patient I had the pleasure of meeting. This is a patient I still visit—for privacy reasons, I will refer to her as “Jane Doe.” Upon visiting the memory care unit for the first time, I was unsure what to expect … Continue reading “The Importance of Being Present”