In the U.S., people are constantly working and moving, never stopping to accept that one day they will slow down drastically as they approach the end of their life. Overall, I think my single hospice experience has taught me to live how I want and to slow down and appreciate the small moments I have … Continue reading “Learning to Slow Down in a Death-Defying Culture”
Compassion is the Key
When I first met “Melanie,” I was an aspiring physician who viewed medicine primarily as a series of problems to be solved, and had never thought about the emotional aspect as a physician. My training had prepared me for the practicalities of volunteering, but it had not fully prepared me for the emotional weight of … Continue reading “Compassion is the Key”
Learning the Altruism of End-of-Life Care
Walking into the memory care residence for the first time, I did not know what to expect. I was nervous that I might not be emotionally strong enough to support someone in end-of-life care. As a hospice volunteer, you are involved in a very personal and vulnerable stage of a patient’s life. Through this experience, … Continue reading “Learning the Altruism of End-of-Life Care”
The True Root of Hospice Care – Social Connection
I’m leaving the last visit with my patient before spring break. I’m holding her hand, as she requests during visits. Being partially blind and deaf, she likes to feel reassured by feeling someone else’s presence by her side. “Are you coming back?” she questions me. “Yes,” I responded, “I’ll be back in another two weeks”. … Continue reading “The True Root of Hospice Care – Social Connection”
The Profound Impacts of Hospice Volunteering
Over the course of this hospice program, I have found that hospice care offers a unique perspective on life and the importance of human connection. While hospice is often associated with death and grief, I have found that it is also a space full of love and hope. Through spending time with those nearing the … Continue reading “The Profound Impacts of Hospice Volunteering”
Learning to comfort the discomforted
Understanding something conceptually is often very different from experiencing it in reality. In medicine, it is possible to study the physiological stages of dying, learn to recognize the clinical signs of decline, and understand the general emotional patterns patients may experience near the end of life. This knowledge provides an important framework, but it does … Continue reading “Learning to comfort the discomforted”
Learning Football with Gary
My relationship with “Gary” was very casual. We would watch Saturday college football, and while I didn’t know much about football, I let “Gary” talk about the game and his favorite team, Penn State, because I could tell how much he liked talking about it. His family rarely watched football, so I like to think … Continue reading “Learning Football with Gary”
Hearing and Acknowledging Lifelong Pain to Provide Comfort and Dignity
Through my experiences with Athena, my impression of the purpose of hospice care transformed. I had seen it before as a place to just maintain bodies until their death, a place to abandon and forget the elderly. However, I have come to see these institutions as a place to ease patients through an uncomfortable process … Continue reading “Hearing and Acknowledging Lifelong Pain to Provide Comfort and Dignity”
The Human Side of Care
The patient that has stood out to me the most through the program has been “John.” We had a friendly relationship, and I looked forward to meeting with him each week. He was always happy about his wife and family coming in. We would talk about many aspects of life – family, memories, football, and … Continue reading “The Human Side of Care”
Presence of LOVE in care
The spark of a thousand neurons interconnected creates what we know as “love.” Although it’s rooted in biology, love often transcends time itself, enduring hardship, illness and fading memory. To love and be loved is an essential part of being human. Through circumstances where is most appearance and words matter less, emotion becomes most valued. … Continue reading “Presence of LOVE in care”