The Hospice Volunteer Program has been a great way for me to learn about palliative end-of-life care that I was not aware of beforehand. I always thought of physicians as individuals who would prolong a patient’s life through any plausible means; however, I have realized that palliative care at the end-of-life can be better and more beneficial for terminally ill patients and their families. Through this hospice experience, I am more determined to become a physician and am starting to understand how doctors can provide better treatment to terminally ill patients. I am beginning to realize that becoming a physician is more about serving people for their needs and finding ways to limit suffering. Thus, tough treatment, such as chemotherapy, for terminally ill patients might increase suffering in patients, and a better alternative could be supportive care.
As a hospice volunteer, my time with Mrs. B, my second patient, has been an enjoyable learning experience. Though she has a form of dementia and is unable to hold a conversation, she is always smiling and seems to always have a positive outlook towards life. Her daughter visits often and we have great conversations as well. From these conversations with her daughter, I learned that Mrs. B enjoys other people’s company, and she wants people around her to be happy. For this reason, I have recently been doing activities with her that she seems to enjoy. Now, it has been more than six months and Mrs. B is doing really well. I feel that palliative care from the facility and her family has prolonged her life and has created an environment where she feels comfortable and happy.
The type of environment created by hospice care is extremely helpful for patients as they prepare to have a painless death. I feel that palliative care must be a serious option considered by all physicians who are treating terminally ill patients because this type of care can let patients enjoy their final moments with their loved ones. In Being Mortal, Atul Gawande states how difficult it is for physicians to talk to their patients about death. This conversation will continue to be difficult, but doctors must realize that it is needed in order to serve patients in the right manner. One of the prompts that really influenced my thinking about end-of-life care and talking about death was “What Our Cells Teach Us About a ‘Natural’ Death” by Haider Warraich. He basically talks about how a cell commits suicide when it gets to point where it can only cause harm to other cells. This article helped me realize that death can be difficult to accept, but there is a point in our lives when we may be doing more harm to our body by trying different treatments in order to stay alive. Thus, palliative care and support can be a way for patients to mentally understand and accept death as it approaches.
Throughout my time with hospice patients, I have learned that individuals nearing death sometimes fear it because they are worried about what they will leave behind and what they have not done in their lives. However, most patients begin to appreciate their life more fully when they reflect upon their experiences. I feel that death can be fearful at times because it can come at any given moment; however, it can also be something that provides a feeling of calmness. I have learned that stressing about death only deteriorates one’s health. Though I have not been able to communicate with my patients about death (due to their mental illness), I have learned from my peers that hospice patients feel more comfortable regarding death when they are able to voice their concerns about it. This is why hospice volunteers are essential to communication with patients.
Overall, the Hospice Volunteer Program has really helped me interact with patients and learn about different mental conditions that can make communication difficult between patient and caregiver. I am certain that this experience will help me in medical school as well because I will have knowledge about palliative care as an end-of-life treatment that can be more beneficial than disease treatment.