School: Haverford

Throughout my volunteer experience, the relationship that I have created with my patient, who I will call Richard, has given me a new perspective on what it means to have a life and live one. Throughout this year, our relationship has grown. I’ve seen his guard come down, met his family members, laughed with him, … Continue reading “Hard work: Building a Relationship with a Patient and a Relationship with Death”

For the past six months, I have been visiting Helen. I’ve gotten to know a few things about her life, but the woman herself has changed drastically in the time I have known her. Helen has late-stage dementia and doesn’t remember most of the things I know about her. For our first few visits, we … Continue reading “Ever-Changing Visits with Helen”

Greg and I had been laughing and swapping college stories for the better part of an hour when the window’s shifting sunlight caught his eye. He then looked over to that side of the room, where just a few weeks earlier, his wife used to lay in her cot. He was silent for a moment, … Continue reading “A Hundred More Questions about Living”

I was really nervous when I walked into the dementia unit for the very first time. Even though we had an extensive orientation, I still didn’t know what to expect. But my nervousness disappeared the moment I saw my patient Anne in the dining room. The first word that come to my mind to describe … Continue reading “Hospice Volunteer Reflection”

I was lucky to have had the same patient, Sally, for the entirety of my participation in the hospice program. Creating a meaningful relationship with Sally was easy; she is talkative and loves having company. We spent most of our time together talking about her family. She has 5 children and a number of grandchildren, … Continue reading “What More Can We Do?”

I did not know what to expect during my first visit with Jan. I was not only nervous about meeting someone new and about the possibility that Jan would not want me to visit, but I was also uncomfortable with the possible conversations about life and death that would ensue. My relationship with Jan began … Continue reading “Reflection on Aging and Death”

Jenny was my first patient through this program. When I first arrived at the facility, I was surprised to find that she was out of her room and in the common room instead. When I introduced myself, I knew she wouldn’t be too alert to what I was saying, so I tried to let her … Continue reading “The Attitude Towards End of Life”

When I applied to be a hospice volunteer, I expected and embraced the fact that I would have the opportunity to serve others. I did not realize just how much the experience would provide to me in return. With the intention of pursuing a career in medicine, my time serving as a hospice volunteer has … Continue reading “The Moments of Life”

During my time in the pre-med Hospice program facilitated by Holisticare Hospice and the Athena Institute, I have developed a great passion for proper communication with patients, specifically those in dire need while receiving end-of-life care. This process has shown me the importance of treating end-of-life care as something critical for a proper conclusion to … Continue reading “The Importance of Communication”

I have spent the majority of my hospice volunteering experience with a woman in her late 90s with dementia, who I will refer to as Judy. Judy reminds me of my grandmother: They’re both sociable, talkative, strong-willed women who have been changed by dementia. While dementia may seem less harmful than other conditions, in that … Continue reading “Dementia: What Compassionate Care Can Achieve That Prescriptions Cannot.”