Before I began my hospice experience, I rarely thought about dying and the aging process. Even when I applied to the program, I thought about hospice care as a relatively stagnant experience. Everyone I talked to about hospice had a sad reaction, as if being placed in hospice care were one of the worst things … Continue reading “My Hospice Experience”
Butterfingers
As someone going into the medical field, I never thought I would have an issue with death, but I was wrong. In my future career, we cannot save everyone. With this in mind, I understood I may lose patients and I accepted that. Learning about hospice changed how I felt about death and dying. At … Continue reading “Butterfingers”
Moments to Memories
In September, I had the chance to meet Madge. Madge had been at the care center for a while before I began to visit her every Saturday. She was always either sleeping in her bed or chair. I tried waking her up at first, but when that didn’t work, I tried visiting at different times … Continue reading “Moments to Memories”
Remembering Death as a Part of Life
I knew Alice had no idea who I was each time I walked through her door, so I made sure to introduce myself at the start of every visit. On some days, including the first time we met, she was very cheerful and wanted to take me around her floor. Other times, she was quiet. … Continue reading “Remembering Death as a Part of Life”
Shining a New Light on Death
When I started working as a nursing assistant at a nursing home, it became clear to me that death was something I was going to have to face as a medical professional, but I always tried pushing off the thought of dealing with it until it was absolutely imperative. Coming in to work and finding … Continue reading “Shining a New Light on Death”
My Hospice Experience
When I first started hospice, I ended most of my visits feeling sad. It seemed like most of my patients were unhappy and felt trapped. They complained about how they had nothing to do, wished to go outside, or wanted better food. Frequently, the patients couldn’t even hear me, so any attempts to comfort them with … Continue reading “My Hospice Experience”
Hospice and Me: A Reflection on Patient Encounters
Dr. H struck me as a very sweet-tempered and genuinely caring person when I first met him. This has not changed as I have gotten to know him better. When his eyes light up at the mention of his wife coming to visit, or when his voice speaks of his children’s achievements with a father’s … Continue reading “Hospice and Me: A Reflection on Patient Encounters”
A Reflection on My Experience as a Volunteer
The first patient I met moved me to tears. She was sitting in the lobby by herself. My volunteer coordinator said, “She is always here, the nursing staff almost always just put her here and leave her, shoving a day-old newspaper in her hand.” The newspaper was covered in grease and food crumbs. She had … Continue reading “A Reflection on My Experience as a Volunteer”
New Perspectives
Throughout the past nine months, my experience as a hospice volunteer has taught me some of the most valuable lessons and equipped me with a better understanding of the balance between medical care and the beauty of human life. My weekly visits with patients allowed me to experience many aspects of end-of-life care and to … Continue reading “New Perspectives”
Recognizing Death
Throughout hospice volunteer experience, I had many meaningful connections with my patients. The moment that I find the most memorable was when my coworker and I visited Michelle, a recently-admitted patient. When we knocked on Michelle’s door, she was obviously agitated. She immediately asked us what was going on. We told her who we were and … Continue reading “Recognizing Death”