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Dementia and the Hospice Volunteer: An Alternate Way to Connect

Posted by Donna Sturm on February 20, 2014 at 5:35am in Volunteer Programs

Goodwin House Palliative Care and Hospice is a service of Goodwin House, Inc., a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) in Northern Virginia.  Jai Swyter is one of our hospice volunteers who has written about her experience communicating with a dementia patient, and she would like to share this with others who are caregivers for dementia patients.

Here is Jai's article:

Dementia%20and%20the%20Hospice%20Volunteer.docx

Donna Sturm

Volunteer Coordinator

Goodwin House Palliative Care and Hospice

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  • Frances Shani Parker February 20, 2014 at 6:28am
    Thank you for sharing your interesting story. You took the time to learn about her background and make it part of her present day experience. This is often helpful in communicating with patients who have dementia. Familiar music has a similar effect. I am always moved by the profoundness of patients' responses. These success stories are what make hospice volunteering such a privilege and inspiration.
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