I chose to volunteer with hospice after having lost three of my grandparents, who all benefitted from end-of-life care from various hospice programs. Each of their situations were extremely different in terms of the kind of care they needed, considering that their conditions included congenital heart disease, Parkinson’s, and ALS. I felt that I had … Continue reading “The Missing Piece of Healthcare”
School: Bucknell
Reminiscing on My Time With Lela
For the past few months, my partner Gavin and I spent our Sunday mornings visiting our hospice patient, Lela. She lived at home under the care of her husband. They lived in a quiet, homey neighborhood located a little over twenty minutes from campus. I vividly remember our first visit. It was early January and … Continue reading “Reminiscing on My Time With Lela”
Finding the Light in the Dark
When I first joined the hospice program, I entered with hesitation. Explaining to people the kind of volunteer work I was going to be involved in always had the same response: “Isn’t that depressing? Why would you want to do that?” I was worried about how the program would affect me and if I could … Continue reading “Finding the Light in the Dark”
The Importance of Presence
On the introductory day of the volunteer program, our leaders had us go around in a circle and explain our experience with death. I immediately felt uncomfortable due to the fact that I would be soon sharing extremely emotional stories with peers whom I just met. Up to this point of my life, I have … Continue reading “The Importance of Presence”