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 spent most of her day laying in a hospital bed that was brought into her home, which her family placed in the living room so she could still be around everyone. Sue had told me and the girl who accompanied me on my visits, whom we will call “Ava”, that she was not in pain, however she wished that she were more mobile. She was still able to use the bathroom on her own, but needed assistance getting in and out of bed. Although the bathroom was just down the hall, she used her wheelchair to get to and from so as not to risk falling. This was a smart decision, because a few days prior to one of my visits she had fallen in her bedroom. The fall was not serious and she thankfully did not get injured, but it is still a scary experience, particularly for Sue and her husband, “Doug.”
Though Sue was not able to carry on extensive conversations with Ava and I due to her fatigue, her husband Doug was ever-so appreciative of our visits. Sue and Doug do not have a lot of family members in the area and Doug is Sue’s primary caregiver. Doug hardly ever is able to leave the house because Sue requires care 24/7. It is also scary because Sue still thinks that she is more independent and mobile than she actually is, as evidenced by her fall. So it is scary to leave her alone in case she decides to do something that could result in her becoming seriously injured. When Ava and I would visit, Doug would tell us how thankful he was that we came because he really needs to get out of the house once a week. He would go to the grocery store when we would stay with Sue and when he got back we would help him unload the groceries.
On a few of our visits, Sue’s young granddaughter, whom we will call “Lola”, was sometimes at the house. Lola is a very smart and energetic girl of about 7. She was very mature for her age and was very kind and caring. She liked chatting with Ava and I, and was always very willing to help us if we needed to help out Sue. For instance, Ava was very good at helping her grandmother get on and off the couch and was always asking her if she needed anything. She would get Sue snacks, adjust the television volume, etc. Even at such a young age, Lola had learned to help out her grandfather with taking care of her grandmother, even if it was in little ways.
Being a hospice volunteer has shown me the importance of how even little acts of kindness and service can truly help patients and their families in times of desperate need. A position as a hospice volunteer has not only allowed me to provide companionship and care to my patient herself, but has also allowed me to help alleviate some stress from her family members who act as primary caretakers.