I have had three patients during my time under Compassus. During the fall semester, I spent many hours getting to know “Beth” and “Rachel”. Rachel had the most beautiful laugh and although communicating was difficult, I was able to learn so many fascinating things about her life before she graduated from hospice. I became close … Continue reading “Growth of a New Passion”
Category: Athena Hospice Program
this is for posts in the category of Athena Hospice
Acceptance: The Lesson I Learned from Hospice Volunteering
The topic of death had always been taboo to me – even when it came to family members, we barely spoke of their passing. I knew that being pre-health, I would need to understand the role of death and dying in medicine, but I continued to push it off, delving into curative-based research. I applied … Continue reading “Acceptance: The Lesson I Learned from Hospice Volunteering”
The Journey of Hospice
My patient was a beautiful soul. Her room was fully decorated with pieces of art, lamps, little glass trinkets and it really made the place feel like it was her home. You could imagine the entirety of her home based on the decorations at hand. Her hair was always so well maintained, thoroughly brushed and … Continue reading “The Journey of Hospice”
Finding Color
My first visit to a hospice facility was at a well-funded center filled with attentive staff, decorations on the wall, and patients in common rooms laughing and talking. The air was filled with joy and could have been mistaken for a hotel at first glance. Every patient had their own room filled with personal belongings … Continue reading “Finding Color”
The choosing when there are no options.
My patient, “P”, was an elderly woman with highly advanced dementia, a high level of hearing loss and limited mobility. She was well loved by her children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren, most of whom lived nearby and were able to visit on a regular basis. When I first met her, her daughter in law … Continue reading “The choosing when there are no options.”
A Complete Life
Many of my patients have limited communication abilities and/or have experienced a decline in their cognitive abilities which impacts their communications. One of my patients has severe dementia and is unable to discern who I am or why I am there to visit with her, but she is always cheerful and excited to see me. … Continue reading “A Complete Life”
Lessons I’ve Learned from My First Year as a Hospice Volunteer
Throughout my experience in the Pre-Med Hospice Program, I was fortunate to form a bond with a patient whom I’ll refer to as Mrs. Anderson. Mrs. Anderson’s journey through life’s final chapters served as a poignant reminder of the intrinsic beauty and fragility of human existence. In the heart of the hospice setting, amid the … Continue reading “Lessons I’ve Learned from My First Year as a Hospice Volunteer”
Journeys of Compassion: Reflections on Hospice Volunteering
The patient who I was visiting during the fall of 2023, whom we will call “Sue”, was an elderly woman in her late seventies. She had just been diagnosed with brain cancer not too long before being put on hospice. The cancer was affecting her ability to hear and she was constantly very fatigued. She … Continue reading “Journeys of Compassion: Reflections on Hospice Volunteering”
Beyond Life
The patient (named “Sophie” in this essay for anonymity) and I have become quite close over the past weeks. Initially, “Sophie” was reluctant to speak but as days passed by, she started opening up and our conversations became lengthier. As she grew cognizant of my presence and my weekly visits, I felt the nature of … Continue reading “Beyond Life”
Hospice Volunteering: Meeting Patients Where They’re At
My time as a hospice volunteer has been a transformative, impactful and overall fulfilling experience. During the school year I was assigned to two patients: the first being “Emma” and the latter “Janeen”, both of which provided me drastically different experiences. Emma was chatty, sarcastic, and incredibly hilarious. I recall being nervous before my first … Continue reading “Hospice Volunteering: Meeting Patients Where They’re At”